


The Pale Shadow

by Tessa_Rose



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Humor, Character Death, Character Development, Depression, Elements from Versus XIII Are Added, F/M, Full of Lore, Hurt/Comfort, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, Sorry to disappoint, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, implied relations with people, one big mystery, this isn't smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2018-12-17 06:05:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 68,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11845488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tessa_Rose/pseuds/Tessa_Rose
Summary: "Noctis," your soft voice broke him out of his daze.He didn't verbally respond, instead, he turned to you, eyes red from exhaustion, and awaited for you to say what you had to say."I don't want to ever reach Altissia."He nodded, grief falling across his features. You both knew as soon as you reached the city, you would no longer be allowed to love him like you did before because then he'd be hers.Noctis was an old friend whom you used to tutor, and after being assigned a job by the king himself, you were headed out to Altissia. Little did you know that you'd be reunited with Noctis on this journey after three years of silence between you two.You start to have complicated feelings with Noctis knowing he was to marry another woman. The most difficult thing is, he didn't stop you.





	1. A Certain Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your set on a classified mission to Altissia by the King himself. Little did you know that you'd be running into his son along the way.

 

 

_You walked off in order to hide your tears. You'd be damned to let him see you cry again. It was dumb of you to ever get close to him. You knew this but you still allowed yourself to care, more than a friend that is. Seeing him with her, it didn't make you angry or even make you feel pure hatred. It made you feel dumb, stupid for ever thinking that this man could be yours. He was arranged to be with her, which is nothing you could've stopped, hell that thought didn't cross you until you met him again._

_Who would've thought you would've fallen for the Prince, someone whom you considered a friend. It was a sickening thought, you setting yourself up for failure and heartbreak. When you were standing with her, he wasn't staring at you, his eyes were glued to her. It was like you didn't exist. It was like the past months never happened and everything you two shared didn't exist. It wasn't supposed to exist. It was like you were meant to be in the shadow of her. After all, he was never yours to begin with._

_You gripped onto the necklace he gave you, wishing you never received the damn thing. You should've expected this so maybe you deserved it. No matter what was to happen, you weren't meant to have Noctis._

_You heard the snap of it breaking off your neck just before you held it above the water. Maybe dropping this will sever your connection with him. Maybe it will make things easier for when they marry._

_He was happy now though, something you wished for him to have, after the hell you all went through._

 

* * *

 

 

_**Months before** _

 

"Toothbrush packed?"

 

"Yup." You smirked.

 

"Toothpaste?"

 

"Yup." Your arms were now crossed, you knew he was only trying to stall you.

 

"What about-"

 

"Nyx," you giggled cutting him off, "I triple checked everything. I have all I need." You pulled the taller man into a kiss making him tense less.

 

After pulling away he sighed. "You make it hard, you know that?"

 

"Once I finish business in Altissia, I'll be back here in Insomnia before you know it." You tied down your backpack to the back of your motorcycle, making sure everything was in place.

 

His small smile had now faded, he was looking down at the ground with his arms folded firmly across his chest. "Things are going to be different from now on."

 

You gave off your own frown, pausing in your place. "That's true," turning to him, you place a hand on his cheek, "I won't change though. When I come back, our situation may be different, but I'm always going to be your girl, Nyx."

 

He smiled a bit but you could see it in his eyes, the worry that had been consuming him since the day he found out you were going to Altissia. "I need you to promise me something," his little grin dropped as he grabbed onto your hand, your heart sank, "If something happens to the Crown City, don't come back."

 

You felt something churn in your stomach as his words sank in. You nodded at his request, not breaking eye contact with him. "Promise me something too, will ya." You had hoped that your voice wouldn't crack but that hope failed as soon as you voiced your request. 

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Nyx," you huffed out, thinking of a good way to word it, "If something happens to the Crown City, don't try and play the hero. You run if something happens, okay?" You gulped back your tears, feeling them burn your eyes.

 

He nodded before giving you an infamous smirk. "You know me too well, Princess."

 

"Stop calling me that," you pouted. You hated that nickname, it was so... _girly._

 

He chuckled at your response before placing a hand on your cheek. He caressed your skin as he looked over you again, his voice was as soft as his touch. "What am I gonna do without you?"

 

"Chase after Crowe probably." You snorted getting out of his grasp and hopping onto your bike.

 

"Pfft, like that'll work out. Crowe is more a man than Libertus, not really my type."

 

"Looks like you're going to have to wait for me then." You kicked up the stand balancing yourself.

 

"You better not take long, or else this ring is gonna burn a hole in my pocket." He ruffled in his pocket making your heart stop.

 

"What the hell are you talking about?" You tried not sounding surprised or even concerned but it didn't work out so well. 

 

He gave you a quick smile before walking up to you. He grabbed your hand and placed the small silver band into your palm. "Instead of me holding it this entire time, I think you should keep a hold of it." He curled your fingers around it, letting go of your smaller hand. "Plus, I don't want to lose it on one of my rounds." He shrugged off.

 

You tried giving back the ring. "But I didn't even make the decision-"

 

"Keep it, just to think about it. I know it's a big step, but I'm willing to take it. Only if you are, that is."

 

You couldn't help but crack into a snicker. You were giddy about this. _Nyx Ulric_ , the loner and flirtatious charmer was actually asking for _your_ hand in _marriage_! "Fine, but if I say yes, you have to get a new hairstyle for our wedding. That style doesn't suit a gentleman."

 

You loved his hair but you missed the buzzed style that never tickled your face every time you both slept in the same bed. "You better say yes then."

 

"Maybe I should say yes now then."

 

His eyes lit up and stared at you in disbelief. "Wait, are you saying yes?"

 

"Maybe!" You yelled out as you drove off feeling heavy at heart. The goodbye wasn't quite what you wanted but you knew as soon as you returned home, you'd be able to hug and kiss him all you want.

 

* * *

 

 

Broken down and burning alive, that was your current situation. At the mercy of the sun. You were waiting at Hammerhead for Cindy, the under-dressed auto mechanic, to finish fixing up your bike.

"I really should've had the damn thing tuned up before I left..." You sighed to yourself placing your head in your palm. You were inside the diner, sitting alone in the large booth. It had only been a day and you already missed him to death. You just hoped that all was going well. For some reason, your phone was on the fritz so it wasn't receiving any messages and possibly won't send any. The only thing it was good for now was to play games and even those have worn their welcome. Who knew a solo trip would be both boring and well...lonely.

 

Taking a sip of your soda you take a look out of the window to admire the view the land had given you, your ring being twisted and played with between your fingers. Sure, the land was dry and just bland but it held a certain charm and you honestly wouldn't mind coming back out here one day to explore it. Maybe that's a project you'd save for you and Nyx.

 

Your thoughts of the place were interrupted by the sound of an engine, causing you to turn your attention to the beautiful black car being driven out of the auto garage. You couldn't believe it. "Hell no..." You laughed standing up. You recognized the vehicle from your time in Insomnia, watching as the young Prince was both picked up and dropped off in the vehicle. It was the king's car, but what was the car doing outside the Crown City?

 

"Oh, right, the wedding!" You almost slapped yourself at the loss of knowledge. Did that mean that Noctis was here in Hammerhead too? You had to find out.

 

You walked out to the Insomnian car. Man, was it gorgeous up close. Just as you had remembered it. Cindy stepped out, letting a big grin slip out as she noticed your liking to the car. "Purdy, ain't she?"

 

"Yeah," you chuckled out, "She's as beautiful as I remember." You slid a hand across the trunk of the car, pacing around it in awe. It had been a few years since you had taken a ride in this car. All those late nights when Ignis would drive you from work to tutor the Prince. An old nostalgic feeling erupted from within causing you to smile sadly on the vehicle.

 

"I take it you're a friend of the prince then?"

 

You looked up at her, rubbing the back of your neck. It was a weird situation for you to explain. "Sorta, I used to be his tutor. I was hired by the King to tutor his son and make sure his grades were in tip top shape."

 

"Well," she placed a hand on her hip, "If you feel like reunitin' with him, I don't mind you hanging around the shop. They should be coming back any minute now." They? You guessed he must've had someone protecting him, it wouldn't be like King Regis to send his boy alone, at least you hoped he wouldn't.

 

You smiled and nodded. "I'll take you up on that offer."

And so you waited. You hadn't seen the prince in some time and you never paid attention to the media that included him, with the exception of Nyx talking little about the wedding that was supposed to make peace. _It was bullshit_ , you thought. The empire was ruthless before and had no means of creating peace. You knew something had to be up with this marriage.

 

You sighed leaning back into the chair in front of the garage. The hot weather was finally beginning to kill you as your body was sweating worse than ever. If it wasn't for the umbrella on the table, you surely would've died from the exposure to the sun.

 

* * *

 

 

Finally, in the distance, you saw four figures, walking in the heat with clad-black clothing. It had to be the Prince. The one you spot first was the bright blond that was the shortest of the group. He had more bounce to his steps and looked more stylish than the rest, or just more up to date with fashion. The next one to catch your eye was the tallest one, behemoth was probably the best description you could give of him. He was a large mass of man, for one, and two, he was wearing a very revealing shirt. Still, you couldn't help but find him oddly attractive in a strange way. The next one to catch your attention was someone who was all too familiar to you. Ignis, the snarky brunette who you used to be quite friendlywith. He was someone you truly respected and even with your past with him, you couldn't help but feel warmth in your heart from seeing him. And then there he was, the Prince himself. Noctis, though only being a couple years older, had changed. As he got closer, you noticed his slight changes like his hairstyle and height. He grew up into a nice looking guy, not to say he was bad looking before.

 

But you weren't going to run up to him and just call for remembrance. You wanted him to recognize you before you dared speak to him. You wanted to know if he truly remembered you like you remembered him. The guy unknowingly helped you change your life around and change your perspective of royalty and it was something you figured he never realized he did. You somehow considered him a friend but not someone you hung out with. Just someone who came and went in your life but had a large impact on you.

 

When they finally arrived, Cindy went up to greet them as they instantly smiled at the car. "Hey, Prince. Sorry 'bout the wait. Aint she purdy?"

 

The behemoth smirked before speaking. "She's almost too pretty for the road." The roar fit the beast, what else could you say.

 

The blond one also bubbled in. "She's back! We should all get a picture with her!" He said before pulling out his camera and turning to Cindy to show her what buttons to press. They all sat in front of the car, ready and posed. It made you giggle internally. These guys must be Noctis' friends. They took the picture and continued their talk with Cindy. She went into full detail about all that had been done to the car and what they should be weary of. While in the middle of all of that, she also asked for them to deliver something for her, which was pretty entertaining to see the blond guy jump in and all to eagerly accept the job.

 

You stood up from the chair and waited for them to stop talking to Cindy. When they finished, you watched as they discussed further travel plans together. It was then that you decided to butt in and finally make yourself known.

 

"Beautiful ride, you have here." You said as you inspected the familiar car again, running your fingers across the glossy paint.

 

"Uh, thanks," Noctis awkwardly said as he eyed you. He obviously didn't recognize you, but that just made it all the more fun for you to mess with him and the guys.

 

"How many girls have been driven in this thing? Had to be plenty considering you're a prince." You smirked at Noctis who lowered his brows.

 

"How did you know I was the Prince?" He asked blowing off your sarcastic comment.

 

"You guys suck at talking quietly. Well, that and your licence plate makes things a little obvious you aren't locals." You pointed to the car's rear, having a victorious smirk with it.

 

"Come now, don't deceive him like that. You knew exactly who we were from the moment you saw us." Ignis stepped forward. He didn't look upset or happy to see you, which sent and uncomfortable feeling pulsing through you. This man was the hardest to read. 

 

You giggled as you stepped towards the man, right off the bat you could still smell the Ebony off of him. It was like he breathed the drink.  "So, you do remember me. I'd hope so after all the fun we used to have."

 

"You know her, Iggy?" The behemoth spoke up.

 

"Yes, and so does Noct." Ignis finally let a smile crack calming your nerves. His smiles always influenced you, for a man who was more attuned to the stoic lifestyle of course. 

 

"I do?" He stared at the older man in shock.

 

You then walked over to Noctis but not without tugging at his cheek. "I'm hurt," You faked a pouting tone, "It wasn't like I tutored you for an entire year or anything."

 

He was able to smack your hand off but that didn't phase his growing surprise. "(Y/n), jeez you're..."

 

"Normal?" You cut in smirking. You knew what he was going to say but you didn't want him saying it.

 

"We'll go with that." He grinned, you pulled him into a hug. The boy smelled like campfire and faint cologne. It was honestly a good mix. 

 

"It's good to see you again." You squeezed him. He really gained some muscle too, not something you'd notice through looking at him straight on.

 

He grunted at the tightness of your embrace. "How many years has it been?"

 

Pulling away you could see how lit up his face was. He was still the same adorable Prince. "At least 3 years."

 

"Exactly so, if I'm remembering correctly." Ignis placed a finger under his chin.

 

"You've known her for three years and never once mentioned her before?" The blond one piped up. He looked disappointed in the Prince.

 

"My thoughts exactly." The behemoth agreed eyeing you up and down. 

 

"It's a long story." You admitted. "But if you're willing to hear, I can tell you all during lunch. It's on me." You pulled out a fair amount of Gil, waving it around as if you were trying to hypnotize the bunch.

 

* * *

 

 

"So, you're Gladiolus," You pointed to the attractive large one, "And you're Prompto?" You turned to the cute blonde one. 

 

"Mhm," Gladio responded, his amber eyes were placed on you as you spoke. He had a strong presence, and it wasn't because he was a gigantic man, but because he definitely had a more aggressive nature about him. Prompto nodded with his bright blond bangs swaying a bit. His crystal blue eyes stood out the most to you as they were contrasted by pink-peachy skin and cute freckles. This kid was a dream. 

 

 You were seated between Prompto and Ignis while Gladio and Noctis were seated across from you three. You thanked the astral beings that the booths were large. "You were really his tutor?" Prompto asked leaning his elbow on the table to keep his body turned towards you.

 

"She really was, why do you think I declined all those times to hang out with you?" Noctis added.

 

"I thought you just wanted alone time for yourself." He snickered causing you to withhold any funny comment that could arise.

 

"Well, who knows what could've happened between these two when they were alone." Gladio chuckled.

 

You could feel yourself cringe. "Hey, I was just someone to keep him in line with his schoolwork. Ignis was actually my old lov-"

 

"Must you truly say it aloud?" He cut you off, with a noticeable blush creeping onto his features.

 

You couldn't help but laugh. "Fine, I'll keep my mouth shut then." You elbowed him a bit before giving him a wink.

 

"Woah now, you can't just start it off like that and leave us hanging." Gladio objected leaning forward on the table, his eyes squinting at you. 

 

Prompto pointed at Gladio. "I agree with the big guy, did you and Ignis-"

 

"Nothing went on between us. We were strictly business partners in helping Noctis succeed." Ignis cut him off.

 

"Okay, okay," Prompto held his hands up in defense, "We'll drop it." 

 

"You know," you spoke up, "I still can't believe you're getting married. I would've thought someone like you would fight against it."

 

"Considering it's with the all-too-pretty Oracle, it doesn't surprise me at all." Gladio chimed in taking a sip of the soda he had.

 

"Hey, I'm not that shallow." Noctis said defensively. 

 

"It's a political thing, right?" You tried clarifying. He nodded. The tenseness of this question obviously made him uncomfortable and a pang of guilt filled you for mentioning it. 

 

"Judging by the ring that's on your finger," Ignis caught your attenion, "it seems Noct isn't the only one getting married."

 

You smiled holding out your hand showcasing the ring Nyx gave you. "Yup, I'm engaged now." 

 

You watched as Ignis' eyes widened and Noctis' jaw almost smacked the table. "Really? You're the last person I'd expect to get engaged. Who're you tying the knot with?" Noctis seemed really invested and less uncomfortable than before which brought you further into the conversation. 

 

"He's a Glaive," You started off, "His name is Nyx Ulric.  He's the one who picked me up and practically saved me from myself." 

 

"What do you mean by that?" Prompto asked.

 

"Well, I've had a lot of problems in the past. Followed by a lot of mental ones. Let's just say at one point I was extremely underweight and I looked as if I had been homeless. I was set on a good track after meeting Noctis and Ignis but after that I was still struggling with everything. One day, while I was working a food service job, I met him and he made me feel as if I had been seeing myself wrong my entire life. I can't describe what he did for me, how he's changed me, but I no longer see the world as some dark, grey bottomless pit. I see it as a place for life to expand and grow." You caught yourself getting carried away with your words, "Sorry, that must've sounded cheesy."

 

"It's not cheesy if a person lifts you up like that. Not only that, it seems you're doing well enough on your own." Gladio complimented, giving you a warm smile. 

 

"Thank you. I just get carried away when I talk about him." 

 

"I'm truly glad you've found someone worth the effort of keeping." Ignis said sincerely. 

 

"Whenever time suits us, I'd like you you guys to meet him. He's a funny guy, he flirts with all the girls but I'd be a hypocrite to get mad at him for that." 

 

"Sounds great." Noctis said, with an unusually mellow tone. He didn't sound too interested now, for some reason. Was he jealous that you had the choice of marriage? 

 

"Food's here," Gladio said with a hungry eyes as he stared the food down. You couldn't lie though, that's how hungry you were too. You were hungry almost every hour now, and it felt both good and annoying. 

 

* * *

 

 

After spending the rest of the day talking with the boys, you all decided it would be best to retire. You offered to pay rent for the trailer so they could have a place to sleep but they offered to go back to their camp ground, which wouldn't be as hard to reach with their car back in their hands. 

 

"It was good seeing ya, (Y/n)." Noctis said as he walked out of the diner with you as the rest walked to the car to get settled in. 

 

"I know, it was refreshing to talk to you and Iggy again. And meeting Prompto and Gladio was also cool." Your footsteps were short, as if you both were stalling for more time to talk. 

 

"So, where are you headed to when your motorcycle gets fixed?" His hands were in his pockets as he looked down at the ground, watching as he placed one foot in front of the other. 

 

"Same place as you guys actually." You watched as his head shot up to look at you. "Yeah, I have some business I have to look into. Classified mission really." 

 

"If you want, we can all go down together. I wouldn't mind having you tag along." 

 

"Yeah but what about my bike?"

 

Noctis shrugged. "Leave it here at the Garage. Cindy seems to like you enough. When you come back from Altissia, you can get it from the garage." 

 

You nodded. "I like that idea. But what about the others? Will they have a problem with it?" 

 

He shook his head. "Nah, when I talk to them I'm sure they won't be bothered at all. Especially Gladio and Prompto. They wouldn't mind a good looking girl riding with us." 

 

You chuckled a bit. "Prince Noctis, are you being flirtatious with me? what would your future wife think of you?" 

 

"You know what I mean, it's not like it's a secret that you attract men, (Y/n)." 

 

"Right, well, let me sleep over the idea and I'll get back to you in the morning. Just meet up back here. I'll be in the trailer if you guys need an answer." You pointed to the trailer right outside the diner. 

 

He nodded and smiled. "Well I gotta get going before it gets too dark. Ignis will have a fit driving in the night." 

 

"See ya Noct. I hope it goes well. I'll see ya tomorrow." Before letting him go you pulled him into another hug. This time, a bit more personal. You may not have been with Noctis the past three years but nothing had changed. In fact three years didn't seem so long after seeing him again and realizing you still had that same connection. When you first met him, you both clicked and became close as friends. It was rare for people in general to connect with others so easy but with you and Noct, it was pretty easy. It was hard for you to explain, but you felt like you could be yourself around Noctis. Almost like how you were with Nyx, except...different somehow. Whatever it was, it made you care for the Prince, and you were worried about him. 

 

You both released each other and you couldn't help but give the prince a soft kiss on the cheek. It wasn't flirtatious as it was just a loving gesture. Heading into your trailer, you felt sleep tug at your eyes. You were exhausted. It was truly a long day and you knew you were going to need all the sleep you could get. The matter lies, would you ever be able to with your heart racing with happiness? 


	2. Departure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You made your decision on leaving with Noctis, certain memories flood you, both in your dreams and your waking world.

**_Three Years Before_ **

 

_"How goes the studies?" You crept onto the quiet Noctis who was staring at the open academic book in front of him. He was sitting at the dining table in his apartment. It was mid afternoon and for an hour, you had been watching over him to make sure he was actually studying._

 

_"I'm not having any problems yet." He looked up, his deep cerulean blue eyes lifted from his book to look at you. "Is there something wrong?"_

 

_"Nah," You shook your head sitting down at the table with him, "I'm just a little bored. You make the job boring for me."_

 

_"Why, cause you expected more trouble?" He closed his book._

 

_A small smile formed when you heard this. True they said Noct was a handful when it came to getting him to do his schoolwork, but he didn't seem to give you problems and it even seemed as if his grades were rising. You guessed those were the benefits of being the top of your class the year before. "I had the impression going into this that you were a pain in the ass, so yeah, it's because you aren't the trouble maker Iggy made you out to be."_

 

_"Sorry to disappoint you." He returned your smile._

 

_"Hey, at least I'm getting easy money in all of this." You leaned back in the chair, crossing your arms, "Though I do have to admit, I didn't think Royals would be such laid back people."_

 

_"Pfft, I'm probably the only one too." His smile dropped. "My dad isn't stuck up or anything, he's just..."_

 

_"Serious?" You raised a brow._

 

_"Yeah. With the whole kingdom to look over, he's got no choice but to be serious. He's busy with political business all the time." His tone was that of dissapointment._

 

_"You don't sound like a proud son."_

 

_He sighed. "It's not that...It's...I never get to see him. He's too busy for his own son. I understand why and all..."_

 

_Silence faded in between you two as you thought over what you could say to make him feel better. "Hey," he looked up, "You know, it's amazing how much your father cares."_

_"How so?"_

 

_"Well," You eased yourself off the chair and paced over to his side of the table, leaning against it. "He hired me, for example."_

 

_"No offense, but that's amazing?" He rose his brow to your stateement._

 

_You giggled a bit. "Of course. I graduated last year with the highest exam scores. They classified me as a genius, though I really don't look like one or even act like one for that matter. He wanted you to succeed in life, and he begged for my help. A damn king begged for my help to make sure his son was doing good on his exams."_

 

_"What makes you think he didn't do it to make himself look good?"_

 

_You shrugged. "Maybe he did. Or maybe he wanted someone to keep an eye on his son, to make sure his son was feeling arlight. Maybe he wanted to know why you weren't doing your schoolwork."_

 

_"Isn't that what Ignis is for?"_

 

_"Sure, but he can't do it alone. And his job obviously wasn't working if you kept getting horrid grades in the past." You moved yourself up to actually be sitting on the table._

 

_His eyes lowered as he turned his head away slightly. "Honestly," he began out slowly, "I only did it to see if he even cared."_

 

 _This made you smile. "I guess you have your answer then."_  
_He closed his eyes before letting his smile slip._  
_"There it is." You ruffled his messy hair. You knew there was more to this kid then what met the eye but you never knew he'd be such a down-to-earth type of guy._

* * *

 

 

You awoke to the sound of knocking on the metal trailer door. You groggily got up remembering the offer from yesterday. "Right..."  
Smoothing out your hair, you yawned rather loudly and stretched. You definitely had the worst case of cotton mouth and it did not make your breath smell good. "Coming!" You yelled out hoping they heard through the door. Your voice was extremly lost and crackling today from the dryness. You were not a morning person.

Grabbing out a piece of gum from a pack you bought a few days ago, you popped it in your mouth and hoped it would cover the smell of morning.  
Finally making over to the door, you opened to see Noctis, waiting patiently for you. "I'm guessing I woke you?"

 

"Yeah, a bit." You rubbed your eyes. They were oily and droopy. "Where are the other guys?"

 

"They're shopping around for a bit, I just wanted to see if you were awake."

 

"Well," You yawned again, "I am now."

 

"Right, sorry about that." He scratched the back of his neck.

 

"You're here to hear my answer." You cut to the chase.

 

He stared up at you in the doorway shrugging. "That was the plan after all. Have you decided?"

 

You smiled. "Maybe. I'm not so sure how my Fiance would feel if he knew I was riding around with four other men."

 

"What if you told him you were riding with the prince?" He crossed his arms smirking.

 

"Then he wouldn't have a choice but to be okay with it." You laughed a bit. "My answer is yes, Noct. I just hope the others are okay with this."

 

"They're okay with it. I talked to them last night. You're just gonna have to deal with squeezing between me and Gladio."

 

"Hmm, being squished between two men, my greatest fantasy." You sarcastically retorted.

 

He tilted his head. "I meant in the car."

 

"I'm sure. Well, I'll get my stuff ready and I'll pack it in the Regalia." You sleepily smiled.

 

He gave you a slight nod before heading off to the gas station.

 

* * *

 

**_Two weeks Before_ **

 

_"I'm being sent to Altissia." You couldn't bear looking at his now saddened face. You didn't want to leave Insomnia. You didn't want to leave him._

 

_"Altissia? Why Altissia?" He tried not to sound hurt, as if the idea of you leaving him wasn't killing him. Times were tough with this war, with the tension building up between the people in the city. If you left, not only would you be separated from Nyx, but you would be away from the protection of the city and it's magical barrier. The thought of you getting attacked by Imperials scared him to death and back._

 

_"You know why, Nyx." You didn't want to say it. It was a habit to keep it all taboo and unspoken. Your back touched the chair, the wood was freezing and almost numbing._

 

_He didn't speak, at least not for several moments. "How long will it be?"_

 

_"I don't know, as long as it takes for everything to settle. It's not an easy task. Not at these circumstances at least." You found yourself looking down at the floor, your feet nervously tapping. You felt pure anxiety from this. Leaving the sanctuary of this city is definitely enough to put you on edge._

 

_"(Y/n)," You looked up to see him kneeling in front of you, your hands grasped in his. He didn't have to speak anymore, you could see it in his pale blue eyes. Your heart ached to see him in pain. It wasn't long before hot tears spilled down your cheek and you found yourself wrapping your arms around his neck and burying your face into his shoulder._

 

_You didn't want to leave, you wished you never had to._

 

* * *

 

  
You set your stuff in the trunk of the car, surprised you were able to set your things in with the other boys. You thanked Cindy before settling in the car. It was pretty snug being between Noct and Gladio but not uncomfortable. It was strange being here with the prince, almost unreal. This was surely going to be a good story to tell Nyx.

 

"Hey, one of these days, we should visit the Chocobo farm." Prompto suggested breaking you out of thought.

 

"I mean, we could always help Noct plan his honeymoon there." Gladio added.

 

"Yeah, nothing like sleeping in a trailer with your new wife with giant birds running around outside." He countered obviously not fancying the idea.

 

"I thought sleeping was the last thing people did on their honeymoons." You simpered.

 

"Noct isn't so experienced in that category." Ignis slipped in his own dialogue making you bite your lip so you didn't laugh. When that was going to fail, you slapped your hand over your mouth avoiding looking at Noctis.

 

You could feel him glaring at the driver ahead of him. "And you're one to talk, specs."

 

The irony of that line caused you to cough dramatically and laugh. He really had no idea. Even Ignis slipped in a coy smile of his own but quickly suppressed it. While that was happening, Prompto and Gladio were still chuckling at the "burn" comment Ignis had just pulled.  
This roadtrip was truly going to be fun.


	3. The Calm Before the Storm

"We're making a pit stop before we go down to Galdin Quay. We have to deliver something for Cindy." Ignis spoke up turning the music down. 

 

"Alright. I'm in need of some caffeine anyways." You admitted, "Hopefully we'll find a little store there."

 

"Could we also get something to eat, I feel like my stomach is dying." Prompto complained turning to face Ignis.

 

"Yeah, I didn't really eat anything after I woke up." You admitted holding your growling stomach.

 

"We have limited funds, but I'm sure we can find something." Ignis responded. He almost sounded like a mother, and it was hilarious.

 

"I can pay," you offered, "Unlike you bunch, I prepared for this trip." You held a grin proudly on your face. Who would've guessed that you would be more prepared than the Prince and his posse.

 

"It's good that someone did." Ignis bit back. He sometimes had fire for words and delivered them in such a casual way.

 

You leaned forward between the two front seats. "Cheer up Iggy, in life, there's always room for mistakes. You guys now know to be extra prepared next trip."

 

"There might not be a next time." Noctis spoke up causing you to turn back in confusion.

 

"Why not?"

 

"He's a Prince, remember. He's getting hitched and that means he'll be too busy with both his wife and the responsibility of preparing to be the next king." Gladio answered in.

 

"Right," You sat back in your seat, "I forgot." The five of you went quiet for several minutes, and maybe it was because there was a realization that Noctis pretty much is on a oneway rode. He's a prince which meant he had little choice of how his life was going to play out. You pittied him in that aspect because you could tell what a free spirit he was.

 

"We can make the best of it then!" Prompto spoke up. "C'mon, we can have years of fun in these next couple of nights."

 

"There isn't going to be any alcohol is there? Because I'd rather wake up remembering the last guy I flirted with." You crossed your arms.

 

"Don't worry, I'll make sure I'm the last guy you kiss before you sleep." Gladio elbowed you with a leer.

 

You played along with his notion. "I'll be counting on you then, big guy."

 

"Does your fiance know you flirt with other guys like this?" Prompto asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

 

You snorted a bit. "Pfft, please, he flirts with every moving thing that identifies as a female and it doesn't bother me a bit."

 

"What? How?" Prompto raised a brow.

 

"Cause he's reminded every night that he's mine and no one else's." You purred and you could help but grin as Prompto's face went red.

 

"Putting that aside, I must advise that we don't drink on this trip and if so, not in excessive amounts." Ignis never took his gaze off the road as he drove. "And by the way, we're here." He said as he drove the car up in front of a motel.

 

"Wooh! I'm getting some food!" You hastily rushed over to the diner that was across the street.

 

"Wait up!" Prompto was the one who followed you while everyone else completed Cindy's delivery. It was the Crow's Nest, a diner you heard a lot about from travelers while you were in the Crown city.

 

"We'll meet up in a sec!" Gladio called out and you flashed him a small wave.

 

Walking in, you were greeted with the smell of food and spices making your mouth water. Your mind felt deluded with all your senses tinging and your hunger finally destroying your stomach. "Fooood..." You sounded like a zombie. Sitting at one of the bar chairs you awaited for the tender to take you order. "Could you make a meal that can be cooked the fastest? I'm starving to death..." You found yourself laying your head against the counter with gil spilling out from your hand.

 

"Sure thing, darlin'." He said as he got out a cup. "You have a preferred drink?"

 

You lifted up your finger dramatically as if you were pointing out the gods above. "Anything caffeinated."

 

In a matter of seconds, he placed a plate of fries and a cold drink in front of you and fulfilled Prompto's order. You scarfed down your food so fast, even the cook's eyes were wide.

 

"You really were hungry? Weren't you?" Prompto laughed out.

 

"You have no idea, man. I'm hungry every 30 minutes and going an hour without food, especially after skipping breakfast is a death sentence." You took a sip of your drink.

 

"Heh, I remember that feeling all too well. I kinda had to train to not eat myself to death." His usual golden tone was much more serious, causing you concern.

 

"Eat yourself to death? I'm sure you couldn't do that with how skinny you are." It wasn't a lie, Prompto was a pretty thin guy. Sure he had muscle but there was no way his metabalism would allow him to gain too much weight.

 

"Actually, I wasn't always this skinny." You definitely screwed up a bit there...

 

You really used the wrong choice of words. You wanted to hit yourself for hitting such a hard note. "I used to be really, really overweight and I didn't have any friends at all."

 

Why was he telling you all of this so suddenly? Not that you were complaining but, did you really hit that soft of a spot? "A charming guy like you didn't have friends? I refuse to believe that."

 

"I wasn't as confident back then as I am now. Plus, no one would want to be friends with the chubby kid. Not if they wanted to look cool anyways..." The pain in his words truly began tugging at your heart. Even the sun can be covered by rain clouds.

 

"You have some amazing friends now. Those guys will follow you till the end. I think that's an accomplishment."

 

"Yeah," he sighed out, "but I'm not exactly like them. I'm...different..."

 

You went to answer but were interrupted by a large hand placed on your shoulder. "You're still paying right?" It was Gladio.

 

"Uh, yeah I am, take a seat." You nodded to the seat in the other side of you. Soon, Noct and Iggy had joined you bunch and it was an average lunch of small laughs and bad jokes. It felt like home to you, a comfy situation in which you'd happily partake in anytime.

 

* * *

 

 

  
_"Yo," you popped up on Noctis, who was in the middle of a game. He quickly glanced at you before giving his full attention back to the game._

 

_"Hey."_

  
_You took a seat on the couch next to him and watched as he ferociously played his game. He was in the middle of fighting a monster before he beat it and paused his game._  
_"Isn't it your day off?" He questioned setting his controller down next to him and turned himself towards you._

 

_"Yeah, I just had nothing better to do. I only wanted to drop by and say hi." You felt a bit awkward but hey, you tutored this kid for the entire year, pretty much, and so you felt like you've earned the right to call him friend and that included visiting him whenever you felt. "You want me to leave?"_

 

_"How did you get in?"_

 

_You blinked a few times, accepting that he wouldn't answer your question first. "It was unlocked. That's kinda dangerous, you could have some strange fan of yours coming in and torturing you."_

 

_He raised a brow. "Like you?"_

 

_"Pfft, yeah, no. I'm no fan of yours but I can still torture you if you'd like?" You sent him a wink._

 

_He let out a small laugh. "I'm afraid to ask what kind of torture."_

 

_You leaned into him a bit, and you watched as his face lit up with red. "Whatever you'd like, your majesty."_

 

_"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat. You both jumped a bit to find Ignis staring at you both with a rather pleased look._

 

_You smiled sweetly. "Hi Iggy."_

 

_"I didn't expect you to come over, does this mean I have to cook for another?" His tone was normal but you could've sworn there was an undertone of acid laced in somehow. You guessed he must not of really liked the way you were flirting with the crowned prince._

 

_You shook your head. "I'm not hungry."_

 

_"Really?" Noct looked you over. "You kind of look a little thin. You sick or something?"_

 

_You felt your heart skip a beat and speed up. "I just don't have an appetite." It was the truth. You just couldn't eat, as much as you loved food, it just didn't seem appealing._

 

_"Can you make her something light, Ignis?" Noct's eyes shifted to worry as he said this. It made your chest tight, witnessing someone show their care._

 

_Ignis nodded, sharing Noct's look. "I'll see what I can whip up."_

 

_You felt your throat tighten as you held back your tears. Anxiety took over you at that moment and it took all your might to make sure that you didn't show it. Your breathes were shallow and your skin was going cold._

 

_"(Y/n)?" Noctis called out as he grabbed your hand. There was a huge contrast in body temperature that Noctis couldn't ignore. "You're freezing!" He got up to grab a blanket. He wrapped it around you and instantly you felt your body calming down a bit. Warmth always comforted your cold body and made you feel better at times like this._

 

_"I'm s-sorry." You stuttered out, not realizing that your jaw was shivering. You hated these fits, you hated these feelings. You hated your disorder._

 

_Ignis had taken off his cooking apron and had walked over to kneel in front of you. His warm hands were on your cheeks. He knew of your problems, unlike the prince. You had told him on the many nights you had hung out with him. "Just relax, okay?"_

 

_You stared into his green eyes before nodding. You closed yours to help clear your mind. You had forgotten what it was like to feel important to someone. You had ceased to remember that even if he was gone, that you had people who were willing to look after you. Then it all went black. The world around you was calm and quiet. That was until you heard others talking._

 

_"She had only recently lost him. She's been having trouble doing basic things for herself." It sounded like Ignis._

 

_"She never said anything, and I wasn't able to tell either. She looked like she was the same as ever." That one had to be Noctis._

 

_"She was a mess when she lost him. It was her biggest fear at the time as well. Something you both share in common."_

 

_Silence came from the other for a few seconds. "I don't want to even imagine the pain of losing dad..." He finally said, making your heart constrict a bit._

 

_You were in pain, not any physical, but emotional. Your dad was the one you were closest to, the one who you relied on. He was the one who kept your hopes high. Then he was diagnosed, with an incurable sickness, and one which you would forever curse. Your mind had been plagued with the image of his smile, the last one he gave you before slipping away. His voice calling out your name could still be heard if you listened close enough. Two weeks from that day and you knew you'd still cry yourself to sleep like every night since then. What you would give to see his living eyes staring back into yours was more than you could actually offer._

 

_"The sad, cold truth is that she will never truly get over his death. She will learn to live with it and nothing more. The death of a loved one is too hard to forget, especially being he was her last known family." Ignis sounded as if he spoke from experience but you didn't know how. He was just a mystery to you as you were to Noctis._

 

_You shuffled a bit, making it known that you were "now" waking up. You finally opened your eyes to see Noctis and Ignis sitting at the table, their food still in their dishes. It was like they skipped out on eating too. Like they were waiting for you to awaken._

 

_Noctis had looked over, and saw your opened eyes. His face lit up with a small but sad smile. "(Y/n)!" He got up from the table and walked over to the couch where you were. "You okay?"_

 

_Your head was still stuffy but you nodded to calm his nerves. You laughed to yourself. Any girl would kill themselves to be in your place with the prince. If only they knew that you had to be falling apart mentally in order for it to happen. "Can I be honest?" Your voice was a little hoarse but it was still coherent._

 

_"Of course." His blue eyes peered into yours._

 

_You let out a huff of air clearing your lungs of any cowardice that you had been withholding. "I don't want to be alone tonight. Is it cool if I stay here tonight or even at Iggy's place. I'm...scared to be alone."_

 

_Noctis glanced back at Ignis who nodded. "I don't mind. I don't have school tomorrow. You can sleep here on the couch if you want to."_

 

_You didn't consider your actions beforehand but you went for it anyways. You pulled the prince into a hug, to your surprise he gave you the same embrace back. Who knew the prince was a bit of a softy. He was always so tired and disinterested it more than surprised you that he was able to convey such emotions, especially to you. You were truly glad to have both him and Ignis in your life. You had hoped that this friendship would last beyond this lifetime._

 

* * *

 

 

After conversing with the magical dog you found absolutely adorable, you all decided on buying two motel rooms. It was split on your sharing a room with two of the guys while the others had their own room. That night, you would be stuck with Ignis and Noctis, which didn't bother you. It was just like that night when you stayed the night with the prince, sleeping snugly on his couch. That night you had remembered getting the best sleep you had in weeks and you remember having a sweet dream of your dad, enjoying a new life without sickness, in the great beyond. 

 

It was settled that you and Noct would each get one of the twin beds and that Ignis would take the couch that was on the side of the room. As you had gotten comfy in your pajamas, you sat on the bed feeling the softness beneath you. "When are the guys coming over?" It was still early in the day so you all just decided to hang out in the larger of the two rooms and play a few games or talk until it was time to sleep. 

 

"In a few minutes, maybe." Noctis answered yawning sitting on the edge of your bed. 

 

"You dressed for bed already, (Y/n)?" Ignis asked, slipping off his gloves.

 

"Yeah, I was just way over the uncomfortable jeans. Plus, feel my fuzzy pants!" You held out your leg for him to touch the fabric.

 

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer." He said as he pushed his glasses up.

 

Instead Noctis took his place, feeling the fabric on your leg. "Damn, those are soft. You're missing out, Specs." 

 

"See? You're  _missing out._ " 

 

There was a knock at the door causing Noctis to place his hand back at his side. Both the sunshine and the behemoth had arrived, snacks and beverages in hand. "We took a small trip to a vendor lady outside. She had a lot of goodies for us to buy." Prompto said, setting the small haul down onto the small table in the room. 

 

"We didn't really know what you liked, (Y/n), so we got everything that we could for you to chose from." Gladio said as he laid out a bunch of treats in front of you. Your eyes glimmered at the mound of snacks before of you. "It's to help pay you back for buying our food the past few meals." 

 

You gave him a cheeky grin. "Thank you guys, this is really awesome of you." 

 

"Anything for the ladies." Prompto winked.

 

"Knock it off," Noctis pushed his friend making you giggle.

 

"Oh, leave him be. He's being a real charmer unlike you,  _Prince._ " You stuck your tongue out at Noctis who only shook his head. 

 

"Hey! Some of the candy have jokes on them!" Prompto exclaimed reading the wrappers frivolously. 

 

 

You picked one up yourself and began to read it off to the room in front of you. "Why was the policeman in bed?" You awaited for an answer before reading it. "He was an undercover cop." You had heard a short chuckle from Ignis followed by a cute laugh from Prompto and a "wow" coming from Noctis. Gladio just sighed and you couldn't help but laugh. You physically slapped yourself for letting yourself laugh at that horrible pun. It was going to be a long night with these guys.

 

* * *

 

_"Quit calling me that." You huffed out, crossing your arms at Nyx._

 

_"Calling you what?" He smirked._

 

_"That girly nickname."_

 

_His grin grew wider. "What, Princess?"_

 

_"Yes!" You covered your ears, "That one! Stop calling me that!"_

 

_"Why so? You're just as beautiful as one." He said as he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you into a hug._

 

_You rolled you eyes at him before wrapping your own arms around his neck. "You're a cheeseball, you know?"_

 

_"I don't see you complaining any other time." He gave you a soft kiss on the neck._

 

_"That's because you cut me off before I can-" He gave you a swift kiss, making you forget that you were even speaking a sentence. You caught yourself in the act and had pulled yourself back and away from his devilish lips. "See! That! You cut me off before I can complain!"_

_He chuckled before leaning his forehead against yours, holding his famous smile. Nyx truly was a gift to you. No one would ever make you this happy again. No one would ever be able to pick up the pieces and put them back together like he did._

 

* * *

 

 

"See ya guys, thank you for the snacks!" You hugged Prompto before going up to Gladio. It was such a drastic change of body types that became pretty hilarious. Once they were out the door, you found yourself flopping onto the bed and letting out a large sigh. 

 

"Exhausted?" Noctis asked as he went onto his bed, getting under his covers. 

 

"Yup. I felt like you guys would never stop talking." You curled up into a ball, wrapping the blanket around you, trying your best to get comfortable. It was strange having an empty bed. It wasn't too unfamiliar considering Nyx wasn't always home but this night felt like it was needed. You needed someone to snuggle next to and you knew you were going to miss sleep over it. It wasn't like you could help it though, considering that would be another form of cheating. You could never cheat on Nyx. You considered the man your savior. How could you have ever thought about committing such a horrid crime?

Ignis had flipped off the light and found himself already asleep on the couch as soon as he had laid down. It boggled you how people could sleep so easily. 

 

* * *

 

 

It was surely a long morning that day. Packing up and grabbing a quick bite to eat then hopping into the car while still being groggy. The car trip wasn't bad, but it was silent. Either everyone got the same amount of sleep you did or they were having a quiet day. The more you thought about it though, the more anxious you got. Something didn't feel right that day. Something felt off about that particular day. You pushed it down for that time being and decided to take a quick nap before making it to Galdin Quay. Surprisingly you dozed off faster in the car than you did in an actual bed. That was most annoying to you. The strange part of it all was waking up and finding yourself snoozed on the shoulder of a large behemoth who didn't seem to be too bothered by it. He was a decent pillow for you though, considering all the muscle the giant consisted of. 

 

The smell of a salty sea hit you and a wondrous feeling hit you. The water always caught your eye for its beauty, not to mention it held a special place in your heart. Your father used to take you to Galdin Quay when you were younger, where you both would play in the water and even fish. He would also point out the large Isle of Altissia to you and how he said he wanted to bring you there one day. Well, he wasn't able to do so, but the least you could do is go there for him.  _I'm almost there, Dad._

 

You didn't waste time stepping out of the car to run up to the beach to feel the amazing breeze. The sound of the waves flowing onto the shore caused you to sigh at that time. You had wished that those old days were back. You had hoped that you would be able to relive those memories with your dad again but you were aware that could never happen. And it didn't. 

 

 Your knees plopped down into the sand and your fingers instantly laced with the grounded shells beneath you. The sand was warm from the sun and it felt soft to your fingertips.  _I remember building sandcastles here while you watched the sun set in the sky. Just as it would fall, you would stop me to look at the sky, so we'd watch the day end together._ You had let out a big sigh. "I really miss you..." You couldn't help but make it audible to yourself at the time. You needed to say it. You needed to tell yourself the truth.

 

"(Y/n)," You heard someone call out. You whipped your head around and found it was Noctis. "Hey." 

 

"Uh, hey." You looked back out to the sea. 

 

"So, while you were down here, we went out to the docks to see about the boats leaving for Altissia-"

 

"And?" You were skeptical of his answer seeing that he had a weird tone to his sentence. 

 

"The ports are closed." 

 

You stood up quicker than you had fallen down. "What?!" 

 

"Calm down." He held his hands up in defense, "A reporter said if we help him out we'll get a ship to Altissia."

 

You brows dropped. "You trust a reporter?"

 

"I don't have a choice. He knows who I am." 

 

"Pfft, doesn't surprise me. I told you guys you couldn't hide it well." You crossed your arms.

 

"Look, are you coming with us or not?"

 

You inhaled deeply before replying back to him. "Sure. What's the plan?" 

 

"We have to get some sort of gemstone for him." 

 

You had opened your mouth to say something but searched for something else to say. "Alright, I gotta ask, a reporter wants you to find a gemstone for him?"

 

"Hey, I'm in no authority to question him right now." 

 

"I'll go then, just in case you end up in some trap." You gave him a small smirk.

 

"You have no faith in me, do you?" He said as he walked back to the car with you.

 

"Nope." You walked on a bit ahead of him.

 

"That's bad considering one day I'll be your king."

 

"You won't be my King, Prince Noctis." You riddled out. "You'll be my friend."

 

* * *

 

 

After driving out to the reporter's map point, whom you learned was called Dino, you looked around seeing nothing but plants and up on the hill, some wildlife. "There's no gemstone I see." You mocked.

 

"We have to look for it, Stub, so don't be so annoying about it." Gladio placed a hand on your head. 

 

"Stub? Did you seriously call me Stub?" You pushed his hand off of you.

 

"You're short enough to be a stub." 

 

"You're an ass." You walked past him up the hill. You eyed the horse-like creatures, studying their moves carefully. 

 

"(Y/n), I advise you step back and let us handle this fight." Ignis placed a firm hand on your shoulder. 

 

You squinted your eyes at him. "What? No, I can take them on." You bumped his hand off your shoulder. 

 

"You don't even have a weapon to fight them with." Noctis added in, taking Iggy's side. 

 

You didn't say a word, you didn't have to. Before the four could stop you, you walked up to the creatures, summoning your weapon to your hand. A golden rapier. With a first strike you were able to get one from behind, instantly striking it down. With the other two alerted, you took a few more strikes, making them fall. Your sword de-materialized before you and you found yourself looking back at four pairs of wide eyes. 

 

Gladio spoke first. "How in the hel-"

 

"You guys weren't the only ones blessed with the power of the King. I can use it also." Your eyes looked for a path to follow. "We should get going." The boys stood there, staring at each other in the same confusion. There truly was a lot more than you were not sharing with them. 

 

"Wait a moment," Noctis ran up to you, he followed close behind you, "so my father gave you-" His mouth was covered by your hand. Your eyes were wide and you knew at that time your heart had ceased to beat. 

It was a bird and giant one at that, one that would be able to swallow you in a heartbeat. 

"Oh. Em. Gee." Prompto gasped out, "We're supposed to get near that thing?" 

 

"Pipe down before you wake it up." Gladio almost growled at him.

 

"Only one way to go, and that's forward." You hesitantly lead the way. Walking near the front end, you were able to hear the bird's breathing as it inhaled. It sounded like boiling water in a large pot and when it exhaled it felt like a dense gust of wind. It's large black and white feathers ruffled with every minute movement making you and the rest of the group jumpy. With a false step, Noctis was able to make a large noise with his foot, making the creature shuffle in its sleep. 

 

"Gah!" Prompto tried not to yell. 

"Shhhh!" Noctis shot back making the blond cover his mouth with his hand.

 

Your eyes had searched the area, like an eagle until you were able to spot some ore. It appeared to be different from the other ore that was scattered about the place so your best bet was that it was the ore you were looking for. You pointed over to it and the boys had already caught on as they stealthily walked past the sleeping giant bird. 

Picking a loose but large enough piece off, you all hissed as it made a rather blatant sound. The beast's breathing had faltered a bit but even so, it was still sleeping. 

Giving a slight nod to everyone else, Noctis went on ahead where he lead you lot on the way out. That was until the beast had awoken. 

 

It flapped it's enormous wings and you found accidentally were staring at it in both awe and fear. He was about to take flight, but you were pushed off to the side of it's path by Noctis. He then flew off, making you all let out a large sigh of relief. 

 

"We made it out alive!" Noctis stood up.

 

"Barely!" Prompto exclaimed. "I thought we were at journey's end." 

 

"But that feat was fit for a king." Gladio added in as he was still staring up into the sky.

 

"Indeed," Ignis added, treading back to where you all had came.

 

"What the hell was that thing?!" You yelled out, you had just gotten over the shock of seeing that thing.

 

"Don't know. Let's hope we don't find out the hard way, though." Noctis followed Ignis. 

 

 

 

"Well, it's nice to know the bastard would put the future king in danger like that." You grumbled as you climbed into the middle back seat.

 

"Maybe he didn't know the bird was up there." Prompto added.

 

"I'm calling crap on that. He's lucky I can't chew his ear off for this or he'd never hear the end of it." 

 

"Just be glad we have a ride to Altissia now." Gladio tried lightening up the situation. 

 

As you guys walked the longest dock in existence, you were relieved to find the hotel and dining area. It was down by the docks where Dino actually was and when the stone was handed over to him,  you were surprised he actually apologized for putting everyone in danger. And for the blackmail. And for just being an overall ass about the situation. 

"As promised I'm in the process of getting your tickets right now-" He took one glance at you. 

"And who might you be, beautiful?" Your jaw dropped a bit and one eyebrow raised. 

 

"Please tell me you aren't talking to me." You unconsciously  pinched the bridge of your nose, not even being able to believe that the reporter was hitting on you.

 

"Why wouldn't I be? Why isn't a stunning girl like you out and about having fun with all of your gorgeous looks?"

 

You just didn't need to say anything more to him before holding out your left hand. "Look at the ring, bucko. I'm  _taken_." 

 

"My apologies." 

 

"C'mon, (Y/n)." Noctis grabbed you by the hand pulling you away from the strange reporter. 

 

"Do I really look that good to the point where I detour people in general?" You were being sarcastic, of course, but you felt it was needed to be added in.

 

"Well, whatever the hell just happened, why don't we just rest up at the hotel?" Gladio mentioned as he pointed to the beautiful hotel. 

 

"Yeah," Noctis yawned, " Let's call it a night." 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

That night felt off. You felt it in the pit of your stomach. Something happened but you didn't know what and anxiety was working it's way through until you finally capped it. You were all packing up your things from the night before as Ignis was out probably getting some Ebony. That man couldn't stay away from it even if he tried.

You then remembered, it was the signing. Of course you were nervous about it but you trusted that things would be safe with the King. 

 

 A sudden cold chill ran down your spine. The room was silent as you packed the rest of your things and it was making you uneasy. Noctis was beginning to finally awake and Prompto soon walked in to great you both. 

 

"Heya, morning." He waved. You had replied by nodding back to him. 

 

"Where's Specs?" Noct asked looking around the room.

 

Gladio was off standing by the door, obviously he had already threw his stuff in the trunk of the car. "Should be back any minute now." 

 

It was the waiting game now, waiting for the strategist to return in silence. When he did, it didn't calm any nerves that were being stimulated. When he walked through the door, you could automatically tell that there was something deeply wrong. By the look on his face, he looked almost terrified, a look you weren't familiar with on Ignis' features. His eyes quickly found Noct and the look of sympathy was far too obvious.

 

Even Noctis had caught it. "What's that look for?" He was also worried.

 

"It's in all the papers," He haded one to Gladio who was reading it for himself. 

 

"What is?" Noctis stepped forward.

 

"Insomnia...falls?" Prompto read off. Your heart sank.

 

"What? This your idea of a joke?" Noctis almost yelled out.

 

A cold reality struck you. Nyx was in Insomnia still. Did that mean that he fell too?

 

"I need you to calm down so I can explain." Ignis butted in.

 

Noct rushed forward. "I'm as calm as I'm gonna get!"

 

"There was an attack. The Imperial army has taken the Crown City." Ignis' voice was somewhat a little shaky. Even he was in pure shock. 

 

"As treaty room tempers flared, blasts lit the night sky. The the smoke about the Citadel had cleared, the king was found...dead." Your eyes shot up to look at Noctis as he absorbed Gladio's words. 

 

"No, wait, hold on..." It was clear Noctis didn't want to hear anything more from the paper. 

 

Ignis strolled past them. "We had no way of knowing." 

 

"What? Knowing what?" Noctis flared with emotion.

 

"That the signing was last night, that Insomnia-"

 

"But the wedding! Altissia!" So they didn't know of the signing? So that meant that...

 

"I know, that was the plan. Yet the reports of the invasion are all the same. How could every headline in the kingdom be wrong?" 

 

Noct's eyes grew large and you could see them turning red from the burning of threatening tears. "...Lies."

 

"It's impossible..." You whispered out, you were gripping his ring tightly in your palm, digging it so far into your hand it began to hurt. 

 

"If only..." Prompto started out, guilt taking over him then.

 

Gladio grunted, having his hand fall down to his side. "What else do we know?" Ignis shook his head. "Then we can't be sure until we see it with out own eyes." 

You were up for that idea. 

 

"And that means, we go back to Insomnia." Prompto turned around. 

 

"It might not be safe for us there." Ignis intervened. 

 

"So what!" You yelled.

 

"Might not be safe for us here." Prompto shot back.

 

"We have to go back." Your eyes were pleading with the others. 

 

After a few moments of silence Noctis nodded. "Yeah..." 

 


	4. The Fallen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was confirmed, and the devastation brought nothing but an emptiness you were willing to end.

 

After confirming your worst fears, you felt nothing but the cold numbness of the world hitting you. That melancholy morning hung over you and it stayed for the rest of the day. Everything that could've went wrong did. Even when you were standing on that hill, soaked by the rain, looking over the smoked city, you couldn't bring yourself to believe it. You didn't _want_ to believe it. The city couldn't have been destroyed? You were just dreaming then. A _sick,_ horrible dream.

Unfortunately, you weren't dreaming.  It was true, all of it. The place you learned to call home was crumbling to rubble. And what was of Nyx? Was he alright? Was he alive? He couldn't have died, he must've made it out of the city in time. That's what you had hoped for at least. It was what you prayed for. You prayed to the gods whom you once questioned the of existence. 

 

You gripped your phone tightly in your hand, hoping it would magically work and that you would receive a call from him or maybe even a text. Anything that indicated that he was still here with you would've helped. Sadly, nothing. There was a thought, though be it small, ran through your head, and it was one of hope. Maybe he had lost his phone. Maybe Nyx was still alive. Maybe he made it out before the city was up in flames. Maybe he was out there now looking for you.

 

Reality hit you further when you realized you were back in the car with the boys, your clothes were soaked all the way through. It was warm and uncomfortable sitting between two other men. With your skin rubbing against your wet jeans and your heavy wet jacket weighing down your shoulders causing you back pain, you started to feel like the real world was coming down onto you now. With all  your senses being triggered, you knew it wasn't a dream for certain and that was the hardest fact you had to face. "Where are we headed?" The question was blurted out.

 

"What, you haven't been paying attention?" Noctis barked back, a dirty scowl glued onto his features. 

 

Your pride and temper wouldn't allow him to treat you so poorly. "Oh, sorry, Prince, I'll throw away my shock and my grief since it bothers you so much. I've been out of it since we left the damn hotel, okay?" He only scoffed at your remark before facing back out the window.

 

Prompto turned around in his seat deciding to take one for the team and tame the flared tempers. "We're heading back to Hammerhead. Cor called us there." 

 

"Cor the Immortal?" He nodded. You let out a happy breath. He should definitely know about Nyx's whereabouts considering his connections to the King and the military. "That's somewhat of a relief..."

 

"Why? You him personally?" Prompto questioned on.

 

You shook your head. "No. But he may know someone I know." 

 

"You want to know if he's still alive, right?" Gladio must've added things together. Of course you were going to ask him about Nyx. He had to know something, right?

 

You opened your mouth to say something but replaced the effort by nodding.You felt that if you let any more words flow the tears would follow. That was something you wanted to keep private. 

 

When you saw the sign, you felt the vice in your chest tighten more. Finally you were back in Hammerhead and now you'd be able to meet Cor and ask him about your beloved. You anxiously got out of the car with the fear of an imploding heart. 

Instead of seeing the invincible soldier, you were met by Cindy. "Glad ya'll made it. No weather for driving, that's for sure." You were at least able to appreciate her trying to lighten the atmosphere. 

 

"Our thanks," Ignis nodded to her. 

 

"Where's Cor?" The Prince interrupted with arms crossed. You weren't going to be mad at him for his lack of interest. He had only just lost his father. A fear that had plagued him since he was younger. It made you feel guilt for the little skirmish earlier. 

 

"Left to see to business and left ya'll a message with Paw-paw." She placed a hand on her hip.

 

An audible sigh was heard from the prince. "Yeah?"

 

"Boss ain't sat still since he heard y'all were comin'. I'll take ya to him." She pointed to the garage. So, it was going to be a while until you would meet Cor but it didn't bother you too much. 

 

 

There was pain in the old man's eyes. His voice didn't showcase it much, but there were faint traces visible. You knew that type of pain, of losing a good friend, especially after leaving so much unsaid. It shocked you to know that Cid had once fought alongside King Regis. It just shows how much had passed onto his son. Noctis didn't discriminate against who was going to be his friend. You could've been in the poorest part of the system and yet he wouldn't judge you based off such trivial things. That much reminded you of Nyx. It was an admirable trait to say the least. 

 

All shock had come to you when Cid glanced your way. A creased frown was all that formed when such happened. He walked over to you and placed a quivering hand on your shoulder. He gave a somewhat sincere smile. "Good to see you made it out of the city. Make sure you keep safe." 

 

"Wait, what are you-"

 

"So, you don't remember, shame." He  sounded hurt, well as hurt as Cid could portray. The old man was good at showing one thing and that was his grumpy side. "Your father would always take you out here, either to come visit or to just stop for a small repair. You couldn't have been any older than 9 last time I saw ya." 

 

Your eyes widened. "Yeah, I remember now! Dad would always tell me that we were going to go visit uncle Cid! I can't believe I didn't remember that!" Cid had aged a lot more from the last time you saw him. It was almost twelve years ago when you had last seen him. He certainly had grown more tough and well....aged. 

 

"You were the sweetest thing until hell broke loose. Then your father said you hardened up and he couldn't get anything out of ya. Seems you came out a lot better than he expected. He'd be proud of ya." A frown creased the old man's face and you couldn't help but feel pain sweep through you.

He turned his head a bit before starting his way out of the garage. "You need something else, you talk to Cor. He said he'll wait for ya in the tombs. They're northwest of here, just a ways past the outpost. Find that first." 

 

"Thank you, Cid." You smiled before making your way to the car. It's time to finally meet Cor.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was another car ride to the outpost Cid mentioned and it was one you blocked out any outside dialogue. So much was still running through your head. Your mind was so lost, it felt useless to speak. To much had been lost. After going down one last dirt path, you all found yourselves at what looked like a Hunter's HQ. So many people were walking, weapons out and ready, and with a look of solemn determination. Walking up to the largest shack, you were met by a middle-aged woman, with short brown hair. 

 

She kneeled before the Prince, "Your highness, I'm glad you're safe." 

 

"Monica," Gladio stepped forth, "Where's all the others?" 

 

Her face twisted into grief as she rose. "Most of the Crownsguard didn't make it. It was all we could do to escort Lady Iris out of the city. Dustin is with her as we speak, seeing her the rest of the way to Lestallum."

 

A look of relief flushed over Gladio making his head bow. "I owe you guys big time." You remember when Gladio had first told you of his little sister Iris and how she was just a girlish version of him. You were glad his sister was safe. She was all he had left.

 

"Head for the royal tomb, the marshal awaits." Monica added while pointing to the trail beyond her.

 

"Um," You spoke up causing her to look your direction, "Ms Monica. I have a question about a Glaive soldier who was on duty at the time of the attack. I need to know if anyone had seen him leave with the evacuated citizens."

 

You were able to feel the pity radiating off of her. "If you give me a name and a description, I may be able to help."

 

"His name is Nyx Ulric. He's got dark gray hair, blue eyes, 32 years old. He has the typical Galive-cut and if anything he might still be wearing his uniform." You felt your voice shaking with every word that left your mouth. 

 

Her eyes widened a bit before she stopped one of the hunters walking by. She muttered something to him softly before he ran off to grab something. She didn't say anything when he was gone and she didn't say anything when he returned. She only gave you a cracked phone and you grabbed it but not without hesitation. Your hand trembled as you held the device, you knew it would hold all your answers, good or bad. Turning on the lock-screen, you felt your heart stop beating. There was a picture of both you and Nyx. There was the confirmation that it was his phone.

 

"One of the citizens found it during their evacuation out of the city. They thought they might find the owner at some point. There's a few messages on it. He stated in one of them that his name was Nyx. They were meant for someone named (Y/n), which I'm going to guess is you." She said nothing more as she slowly stepped away.

 

Going through the phone you noticed the mentioned messages. All of them had different dates. The last one was from yesterday. Something told you that you weren't going to be fine after hearing it. A firm hand was placed on your back and you didn't have to look to see who it was. "If you need me to stay behind, I'm here." Gladio offered. 

 

You shook your head. "I'll listen to them on my own. Go find Cor." Your head was lowered. You were not going to cry. You didn't want to cry. After feeling that they hadn't left, you spoke some more. "I'm sure he only dropped it while leaving the city. I'll be fine, promise." 

A sigh escaped from him as he and the other boys left to find Cor. Your stubbornness was sure shining bright right now.

 

Finding a quiet spot to sit was hard but you managed to seize one. Dropping into the dirt ground leaning against the remains of a brick wall, you sat with your legs crossed over one another. You finger hovered over the screen. Did you really want to hear what was on the phone? It wasn't a question of whether you wanted to or not, it was that you _needed_ to. 

You took in a deep breath, preparing yourself for the unknown before letting it all back out.

You played the last message: 

 _"Princess, I'm sorry,"_ already you were crying, _"I can't keep our promise. I know I said I wouldn't play hero and all but it was to protect what was left of the city. It was to ensure the ring was brought to Prince Noctis. Luna has it now, she'll be waiting for him in Altissia. Good thing too, or else we'd all be doomed._

_"There was so much I wasn't able to tell you. So much I wanted to live out with you but I screwed it all up. I used to be afraid of dying, but now that it's here, I don't think I'm so afraid now. I only have till sunrise until I'm gone, so I thought I'd spend my last moments thinking of you._

_"I'll get to see her again, my sister. I wish you could've met her, like I wish I could've met your father. I'll see them both, I suppose. If you see the future King, be sure to tell him that I wish him a good ruling, the Six knows we fought for one at least._

_"One last thing, if you ever need me, just close your eyes, know that I'm there and that I'll be with you until the end. I gotta end it here though, Princess, the sun is starting to come up. I love you."_

 

The phone dropped from your hands. It was hard to breathe. 

 

* * *

 

 Noctis didn't want to leave her behind. He wanted to take Gladio's offer and stay with her as she cried. He knew she was feeling pain. He felt it too though it was something he couldn't explain. Seeing her in that much pain though, caused a lot of added stress on the prince. He couldn't pinpoint why either. Maybe it was because your guy's strong connection in the past that made him feel empathy for you. That, or it was because he was feeling something else for you, but he knew that it was a bad time to linger on such thoughts. 

 

"Do you think she's alright?" Prompto asked Noctis interrupting his train of thought.

 

"Who is it you're speaking of?" Cor interrupted. 

 

"O-our friend, (Y/n). She may have just lost her fiance during the attack and just recovered his phone. We left her at the outpost before we came here but she didn't look like she was going to be alright." Prompto stuttered. Cor closed his eyes before sighing. It wasn't one of annoyance though, it was that of a man who understands pain.

 

"Check on her if you need, but be quick about it." Cor stopped at the end of the trail where it split. 

 

"Right. I'll go and get her, you guys wait here with Cor." Noctis somewhat ordered. 

 

"Noct," Ignis stopped him, "If you believe that she's unstable enough to continue on, take care that she is surrounded by people to keep an eye on her. I believe she'll need the aid should anything unfavorable happen in our absence." Ignis sounded more worried than he did normally around Noct. 

Noctis nodded with unease as he made his way back to the outpost. He ran slowly at first but soon picked up the pace, running faster than he ever had. 

After initially not seeing her, he started feeling panic. Fear kicked in as he struggled to find her. He searched high and low for her, but she wasn't anywhere in sight. He then stopped his trekking when he heard a few sniffles. They were really faint but they were loud enough for Noctis to catch. It was coming from behind an old building. 

He softened his steps and eased his way closer to her potential hiding place. She must've been sobbing because she wouldn't hide away otherwise. Peeking around the old building, he saw her, with red burning eyes. It was obvious she had been crying but she would never admit that. Noctis knew better than to ask her about it, he knew she'd never reveal her true feelings like that even if it hurt him to have her hide such things.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"(Y/n)," A voice struck you out of your daze. It was Noctis, and he seemed to be more a light in your life at that point than anyone ever before. "We're heading to another tomb if you're up to it." He wasn't looking into your eyes, instead he was looking at the dirt he was kicking around beneath his feet. 

 

You swallowed whatever was in your throat before putting on a fake smile. You knew that he was going to be aware of your efforts to wear a sham grin. "I'm always up for some tomb raiding." 

 

His eyes darted to you instantly noticing your hoarse voice. Instead of asking if you were okay, he held out his hand. He knew you better than you thought. You took his hand as he pulled you onto your feet. "Cor's coming with us too, so you'll finally get to meet him." It was obvious he was darting around the question lingering in the air about you being okay or not. 

 

"Hope he won't mind having me along with you guys." You sounded stuffed and sick and it was from all the crying you had just attempted to conceal. You breathed out a shaky breath. A cold chill ran down your spine as you did so. 

 

"Nah, at least not until he sees what kind of fighter you are." He began walking, and you followed him. 

 

"Pfft, I'm not that good. Okay I'm pretty damn decent compared to the next guy but I doubt I'd impress Cor the Immortal. Especially with watery eyes and a stuffed nose."

 

"So," he sounded uncomfortable, "did he say where he was headed?" There was a tinge a of hope in his voice that you would hold good news.

 

Your fake smile dropped a bit as your walking slowed. You took a long deep breath before looking up into the sky. "He's up there meeting my father I presume. They're finally able to meet."  You clenched your eyes shut, hoping that you would see him there, just like he said, staring right back at you, but that wish didn't come true. 

Instead, you felt a warm hand grab your cold one. When you opened your eyes, you saw Noctis, who's deep blue eyes burned like yours. 

 

"We'll get through this, you're not alone, (Y/n)." His hand clamped even more tightly around yours. 

 

"I know. I'm sorry, Noctis." You choked out before letting more tears fall. He pulled you into a hug letting you bury your head in his chest. He knew that was what you needed which was why you didn't fight against it. It was moments before he had to let you go and you dreaded every second of it. You knew you weren't going to be alright and you knew that you needed someone to hold you until the pain was gone but this was the real world. In the real world, people die. In the real world, people hurt. And in the real world, you couldn't be held like a child. You needed to pick yourself up and keep moving untill you can't.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

At a split of the road, you saw the other three boys and another man whom you hadn't seen at first. Cor the immortal, in the flesh. The man had a permanent scowl on his features but it didn't age him too much. In fact, he looked to be in his 40s. Still, the age didn't mean he wouldn't be able to kick your ass with one finger. You knew you had to show your respect around this man. 

 

"It's about time you showed up." Cor's voice fit him well. That much was for sure.

 

"It was my fault, sir. I made it difficult to be found." You bowed your head to him. 

 

"Let's get moving." He said as he lead the group to the next tomb. An unease came from walking near Cor. You were able to tell, just by standing near him that he'd seen a lot. 

"Long years ago, we waged a fierce battle against the empire. It all went to ruin, and after that the empire moved in like it owned the place." 

 

"That's what happened in Tenebrae. They moved in and slaughtered the queen in order to have full control."  You spoke up making sure the distaste you had in the empire was well known. 

 

"Wait, how did you know that?" Noctis questioned. 

 

"Do you really believe that she was killed in an accidental fire? Anyone who can see through the empire's bullshit can tell you that one." You had somewhat of a bitter tone.

 

"She is right, though." Cor added. "The Queen was killed while protecting her children."

 

Noctis' tone lowered. "Yeah, I was there."

 

"Hey," Gladio whispered, "there are some of them up there." 

 

"Time to kick some imperial ass then." You ran forth, summoning your rapier to your hand. Quickly, you sliced through each one, taking a small satisfaction in their fall. They deserved whatever came their way after all the pain they've caused. 

After they had fallen, you had earned a strange look from Cor.

 

"I take it you aren't just an ordinary friend of the Prince." He eyed you carefully.

 

"No," You shook your head, "I'm the daughter of the fallen soldier, Septimus Pater. He was someone who knew the king fairly well."

 

"You never told me any of this..." Noctis said with almost a betrayed look.

 

"It wasn't supposed to be known, but with both men gone now, I see no point in hiding it." You straightened out your now dried clothes.

 

"So, you're his daughter? I've...heard a lot about you." Cor gave you a much more warming tone.

 

"Since you've got info on me, I think we both know that it would be best if you kept it hidden until the time comes." You didn't want to sound as if you were threatening him but you couldn't help it. It came out that way. There was something that bothered you in all of this: How come everyone knew your father? 

 

"Of course." He nodded with the notion he understood.

 

"A magiteck armor." Ignis pointed out. It was a large machine that looked like it was made for killing off entire armies. 

 

"Dangerous?" Noctis crouched down a bit, staying out of it's range. 

 

"This particular model poses a mild to moderate threat." 

 

Noctis gave him a weird look. "The short version?"

 

"Somewhat dangerous." He shrugged.

 

"Marshal, you have to be pretty badass to take that down, right?" Noctis smirked over at Cor.

 

"Think you're up to it? Let's see what you can do." He gave the young prince a playful smile.

 

You let out a large sigh. "We could always sneak around the damn thing."

 

"Getting cold feet, (Y/n)?" Gladio patronized. 

 

"Pfft, I could take that thing down faster than you, big guy." You scoffed.

 

"Let's get to it then!" Noctis raced forward, throwing the first slice at the machine. That must've activated it because it was then the machine started firing missiles towards the group. Dodging every single one, you ran up with your rapier and slashed at its mechanical legs. Gladio joined you and within seconds, the machine fell. But it wasn't destroyed by that point. Prompto landed a few good blows with his pistol at the machine core, causing it to make rumbling noises. 

 

"Back up! It's gonna blow!" Cor yelled, sprinting for cover. In seconds you all were out of the danger zone and the machine did as Cor said, it blew up into a firey mess. Meters away from the sight laid the entrance to a trench. It must've been the place Cor was talking about. The entrance to the next tomb.

 

As all of you were headed inside, Cor was stuck near the entrance. "Here's where we go our separate ways." He dug into his pocket, "Take this key. It unlocks the door to the other tombs. " He threw the key to Noctis. "Seek them out, and lay claim to the power they hold. You'll need it." 

 

"And what will you do?" Noctis placed the key into his pocket. 

 

"Keep and eye on the Niffs, "He turned around, "Find out what they're up to. But you should focus on your own task." He looked back. "Noctis, (Y/n), you both are to keep safe. This world can't afford to lose either one of you." 

 

"Showtime." Gladio grolwed out as he went deeper into the cavern. 

 

"Why did he single you out like that, (Y/n)? I know why he singled out Noct, but you're the one I don't get." Prompto asked trying to pry.

 

You shrugged at him. "I don't know. He's a weird guy."

 

"It doesn't have something to do with the 'info' he has on you, does it?" Gladio simpered. 

 

"No, as I said, he's just...weird. Can we drop it?" You made it clear enough that you didn't want to speak about it any longer. 

 

"Here we go," Noctis went on ahead, his light creepily illuminated everything in front of the group. 

 

Prompto caught up. "Huh?" He questioned moving further into the dark. "Look!" he pointed. 

 

"There's a door." Gladio commented as he walked through.

 

"What the hell was this place?" You looked around, using your phone as your flashlight. 

 

"It appears to have been a shelter." Ignis marveled at the sturdiness of it.

 

"People lived here?" Prompto leered with a smug look.

 

"Those seeking refuge from war, most like." He pushed his glasses up.

 

"Wars, what are they good for?" Prompto laughed a bit.

 

"Absolutely nothing." You answered with a grim attitude. 

 

Prompto cringed a bit. He knew it was a bad idea to imply the obvious. "Wonder if anyone's still living here. Huh, what's this?" He crouched. You felt what he was talking about underneath the soles of your boots. "A cable..."

 

"I doubt a bunch of people would still be here in a smelly cave. And as for the cable, it's probably a power-line." You answered following the cord. 

 

"So, (Y/n), this really isn't the first time you've been out of the Crown City?" Prompto asked, trying to lighten the mood.

 

"No, I wasn't even born there." You answered honestly though you knew you'd regret giving out information like that. 

 

"Really?" He sounded shocked.

 

"I was born in a place far, far away from here." You made sure they could note the displeasure in their inquisitive format. 

 

Gladio placed a hand on your shoulder. "You know you can trust us, right, (Y/n)?" 

 

"Yeah, but I'm not allowed to tell you guys much about it. It could compromise my mission." 

 

"So, my father sent you on a mission to Altissia, so I'm guessing you have something to do with the wedding." The prince asked with crossed arms. 

 

"No, I actually have nothing to do with your wedding. It's...more personal. Something to do with my mother actually." Before they could question you further, you interrupted them with the pointing of your finger. 

 

They looked to the location you pointed out. "A generator?" 

 

"So it would appear." Ignis looked around for a switch. 

 

"Might still run..." Prompto poked around the old dusty thing, searching for any sign of power. Noctis knelt down in front of it, finding the switch and flipping it with ease. The lights were on in a matter of seconds. "Sweet! It works!"

 

"Then there was light." Ignis smiled a bit.

 

"We better get a move on, the generator won't last forever, it may 'poop' on us within the next hour." You scouted on, searching for the "tomb" that Cor claimed was down there. You felt confident in the save until the sound of scraping metal made you jump.

 

A very unmanly sound came from the blond as he grabbed onto the closet thing to him, which was you of course. "What was that!?" 

 

"My bad." Gladio's deep voice rumbled. "Kicked a can."

 

He released you and expressed his stress to the large man. "You're killing me here, big guy! Are you trying to give me a heart attack or somethin'!?"

Ignoring Prompto, You pushed open a door that was at the end of the tunnel, flinching at it's loud creaking.

He groaned. "I hate that noise!" 

 

"Makes two of us." You actually agreed. 

 

"I can feel eyes on us..." He coward once again. "The second we turn our backs, BAM!" He yelled into your ear, causing you to scream and your fist to whip back, thankfully he dodged it or it would've been a shot into his "sunshine". 

 

"Quit being a wuss." Gladio frightened the blond. 

 

"Yeah, or else I'm going to give you a reason to be a wuss." You spit back. 

 

He squeaked a bit. "Sorry." 

 

"This door is locked." Noctis interrupted as he pushed on the door again.

 

"Onward, then." Ignis pointed. 

 

"Um, hello? Anybody home?" Prompto just kept adding to your paranoia. "I'm comin' in!"

 

"You're such a goob." You facepalmed but it was mainly to hide the fact that you wanted to laugh at his goofy nature. Though it did bring the thought back into mind, why was he so serious when he followed you in for lunch the days before?

 

"And you're not?" Noctis leered. 

 

"Not in dark caves, I'm not-AH!" You screeched hearing the loudest banging sound coming from a door on your left. "Dammit, where the hell is this tomb!? I'm sick of this bastard of a cave!" 

 

"Whatever it is making those noises, it's playing with us." Gladio closed in on the door that was allegedly making the noise. 

 

"Alright, on three you open the door," Prompto huffed in some air of encouragement, "Alright. Okay. Here I go. One. Two. Three." He jumped on three. Noctis pushed at the door but it didn't open. "Locked. Total shocker." He sounded relieved.

 

Noctis shrugged. "Hey, if it's something worth locking up-"

 

"It's worth seeking out." Gladio finished. 

 Another large sound erupted making everyone check their surroundings. 

 

With wide eyes, Prompto pointed back the way you all came. "It came from there." 

 

"We should just leave him outside the next tomb raid." You commented following his directions. It led to another door that was now opened. 

 

"Hey, I'm up for that!" Prompto agreed. 

 

"We'll be sure to go at night then, so that he'll be all alone with the creatures in the night." Gladio withheld his chuckle. 

 

"You guys are evil." Prompto jabbed with a pout. 

 

You gave him an innocent smile. "I don't know what you mean, I'm perfectly inn-"

 

"Look out!" Prompto shrieked. The ceiling was coming down.

You were tackled to the ground but it wasn't by Prompto. Looking up at the person who saved you, your faced burned to find the Prince himself, pressed on top of you. This was a hell of a lot closer than you needed to be around anyone at that time. A close hug was something entirely different from being squished by a guy on top of you.

 

"You can get up now." You turned away, glad the dark was hiding your reddened face.

 

"Sorry." He got up and held out a hand for you to grab. How many times was the boy supposed to help you up in a day? You took it and dusted yourself off examining the rocks that almost crushed you.

 

"Shit..." You searched around for your phone. 

 

"Here," Ignis was slick enough to catch it after you pretty much tossed it. There wasn't even a scratch on it.

 

"Thanks, Iggy."  You decided it would the better idea to huddle up to the group instead of separating yourself since it didn't go well for you last time. "Shall we keep moving?"

 

They all nodded. It was apparent while walking through the cavern that whatever was messing with you guys was leading you in a circle. You found yourselves back into the same spot as before, the only difference was that one of the locked doors was now opened. After going through that one, you were once again lead into another loop. 

 

"Dammit, when I find out whoever is doing this, I'm so going to kick their ass." You groused with gritting teeth.

 

"Hey, haven't we-" 

Prompto was cut off by the doors flying off their hinges. The whole time it was a group of nasty goblins, disturbing you lot. 

 

"There you are!" You yelled calling for your blade. Taking one down with ease. 

The rest were brought down by the Prince and his men. 

 

"This is becoming an annoyance." Ignis admitted, his voice even showing his emotions with his statement. 

 

"You know, I noticed a hole in the wall, a little ways back, should we go through, I think I remember seeing a light on the other side." You proposed. The boys agreed either way and followed you down. You weren't lying, there was a little hole, big enough to crawl through. 

 

"Hey, nice one, (Y/n)." Gladio smiled. You were going to respond but the light suddenly went out.

 

"Dammit." You muttered. 

 

"That should be your catch phrase at this point." Prompto laughed. "But seriously though, it's dark." 

 

"Just have to keep moving, c'mon." Gladio encouraged. 

 

After successfully turning on another generator and finding another promising path, it seemed this little escapade was almost over. 

 

"Look at that, an empty room. Surely nothing will pop out here." Your voice was laced with sarcasm. 

All it took was one step to prove your joke wrong. "What the hell is that thing!?" You squealed. It looked like a woman/spider hybrid. 

 

"Whatever it is, it's disgusting." Prompto commented, landing a shot on it.

 

While still in shock and unable to defend yourself, the spider woman landed a painful hit to your side causing you to fly back into a pile of crates.

 

"(Y/n)!" You heard Noctis call out running to distract the arachnid creature away from you. It worked and stayed hidden away for a bit. At least until the thing was killed. 

"Hey, you okay?" Noctis knelt down.

 

You were clenching your side, it felt like a bruised rib, but nothing that you couldn't handle. The problem was with you landing into the crates. They were made of wood and one of the broken pieces managed to nick your arm pretty badly. Bad enough that it was bleeding fairly consistently. "I just need some bandages for now. I'll be fine otherwise. Let's find this damn tomb before I lose it though."

 

It was Ignis who patched you up and got you onto your feet. There was a lot of pain, but you didn't want to show it. You didn't want to be the reason they were slowed down. 

 Crawling through yet another hole, you were lead down to the end of the cavern where thankfully the door to the tomb was. 

 

"Look! There it is!" Prompto jumped up for joy. 

 

"Thank Etro!" You exclaimed throwing your arms up in the air, forgetting that you had recently injured yourself. "Ouchy!"

 

"Etro? Who's Etro?" Noctis question pulling out the tombs key.

 

"The goddess of death, Prince. What did they teach you at school?" You placed your hands on your hips.

 

"Not religion, that's for sure." He placed the key in the hole of the door, turning it and staring at awe as they opened. You never personally witnessed one of the royal tombs openings but you always imagined how beautiful the resting place of the dead would look like.

 

Walking in, you felt the power of the kings surrounding you and in the middle of the room, laid the final resting place of one of the kings. In the hands of the stone king, there was an ax. "That's one of the royal arms, isn't it?"

 

"Yup." Noctis stood in front of the stone coffin and held out his hand. The ax began to glow and rise from it's resting place. In a flash, it flew into Noctis as sparks of phantom crystal gleamed around him.  Two of the weapons encircled him. It was one of the many powers of the king. They soon faded away.

 

"So, Noct borrows the old kings' power?" Prompto broke the silence. 

 

"More or less," Ignis inquired, "At this rate, he'll rival his father's legacy." 

 

"The copycat king." Gladio titled his friend.

 

Noctis turned back and gave his friend the stink eye. "Out of line."

 

"Well, what's it like?" Prompto asked with a giddy attitude. 

 

"Hmm..." Noctis looked down at his palms before answering. "Like I got some tricks up my sleeve."

 

"No need to put on a magic show for us." Gladio almost rolled his eyes walking out of the tomb.

 

"But it never hurts to practice." Ignis shadowed after the large man. 

 

"Right, I'm not one to favor the sun, but this darkness isn't helping." You scowled at the emptiness. 

 

"Might not be sunny where we're headed." Ignis called back.

 

"He's right," Prompto had his phone out, "It's almost 9." 

 

"Dammit, no wonder I'm tired." You sauntered over to the doorway. 

 

"We can make camp after this." Gladio pitched in. 

 

"Can we go back to Galdin?" You wondered, "I think that place holds a solace for me right now." 

 

"I'm with (Y/n) on this one, I think I could go for a nice look at the sea." Prompto supported.

 

"I mean, I'm also hurt too, I kinda just wanna take an elixir, plop into bed, and **die**." 

 

"To Galdin it is, then. That's a long ride to see the water though." Noctis sounded unsure of the situation. Maybe he knew your intentions of going down there. 

_Nah, he couldn't possibly know why._

 

Upon walking out, Noctis received a call on his phone. Picking it up, he didn't expect much for good news. "Yeah?- Just busy building my arsenal.- Alright but I'm gonna have to hold it off till tomorrow. (Y/n)'s dealing with a lot of pain, she needs a break. - Right, we'll get on it tomorrow then." He then hung up the phone.

 

"Who was that?" You asked with concern sprouting.

 

"Cor. He said there's something we had to do but I pushed it to tomorrow. We should get going." 

 

 

The car ride wasn't long, well not with Ignis pushing the petal to the floor of the Regalia. But you wouldn't have minded a long car ride, especially since you had earbuds in, listening over and over to Nyx's messages. It was hard to hold all the pain in but you managed to do so. You didn't want them worrying about you. They wouldn't have to worry about you after this trip. Once you all made it to Galdin Quay, and once they were all asleep, you were going to do it. You weren't going to let yourself live any longer.

 

 


	5. No Turning Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You only wanted to be with the people you cared about the most.

It was a cold night in the tent, but the sound of the waves washing onto shore eased his nerves. It finally happened, the one thing he was scared to lose the most was lost. Sure he had some bitter feelings for his father before he left, but he never expected to lose him so suddenly. It made him regret all that he's ever said, all that he's ever done. Noctis felt guilt and it would be the thing that would keep him from confronting his responsibilities. 

He wasn't able to sleep easy that night. Something felt off but he pushed it down thinking it was the dread of that day. Why was he so anxious?

 

"(Y/n)!" He heard someone yell. It was followed by a loud gunshot making Noctis jolt from his bedding. Running out of the tent he instantly heard her sobbing and when he was looking through the night's light, he saw a sight that would damage his heart for the rest of the time he lived. (Y/n) was being held in Ignis' arms, his hair was disheveled and his glasses weren't on his face as he cooed her to a calm. Gladio was sitting with the pistol she had tried using, gripping it  tightly in his hands. Prompto looked like a frightened child and did all he could to help sooth her, even if it meant he could only rub the upper part of her back. It was some form of support. 

 

Noctis didn't need any explanation on what just happened. He only had to look at his surrounding to piece the story together. He was right to be worried, he was right to be scared, but he wasn't going to boast. Instead he found himself dropping onto the hard ground, with his hands entangled in his hair, yanking at every strand to get rid of the aching feeling he was beholding inside. If Ignis hadn't spotted her, who knows what would've happened.  _I didn't realize they meant so much to you..._

It was foolish to think such but he did, knowing that telling himself a lie would only cause more damage. 

 

It was maybe an hour before she finally calmed down, managing to fall asleep in the strategists arms. Gladio had taken it upon himself to dispose of the pistol, disappearing into the dark of the night. Prompto was falling asleep where he sat,  twitching awake every five minutes. Ignis had the same look as Noctis did, the one of horror. No one knew she were going to do this, they didn't think that'd she plan a self-murder. They thought with all the smiles she had shown forth were proof that she'd be okay, but they were lies. He cursed himself for not noticing it sooner but the damage was done. 

 

"I'll watch after her for the night, Specs, I napped a bit when we were in the car, so I'm ahead of you all in sleep." Noctis knew that he owed this much to Ignis for saving her.

 

He sighed before nodding. "If anything else comes up, don't hesitate to wake me." 

 

Ignis managed to wake her up slightly, but not fully so that she was only able to move a bit. "Noctis will look after you now." He whispered into her ear as she nodded. 

 

Her tired face looked over to Noctis, groggily making sure it was him, before crawling over to lay in his lap. Her head was warm against his cold thigh and he shivered when she placed a hand under his leg for support.  _She must think I'm some sort of pillow..._

 

Ignis made his way into the tent, having Prompto and Gladio join him moments later. 

 

Noctis rose his hand up to lay upon her shoulder, hesitating at first but settling it down regardless. It felt odd, being this close to someone, to be able to hold them when they cried for help. Was this how it was going to be like with Luna? 

He let out a large sigh.  _Why am I thinking of her at a time like this..._

 

Noctis never wanted to share it with the group but he felt uncomfortable being set up to marry Luna. It was part of the reason why he was so distant from his father. The arranged marriage was something he didn't agree with. Sure, he knew Luna in the past and all, but he hasn't seen her in years. He didn't know if she'd be a good or bad person, a stuck up or laid back girl, or just someone who could handle him. The only contact he had with her was through a book, and they only used that because the empire would've been able to monitor her calls. He didn't know what she'd be like but he sure hoped she'd be someone like (Y/n). Around her, he felt safe and secure, like he could truly be himself around her. 

 

(Y/n) began to stir in her sleep a bit, getting restless by every passing second. "Nyx..." She cried out, making Noctis frown. He was haunting her even in her dreams. She was crying again, and Noctis couldn't help but cradle the girl in his arms. 

 

"It's alright, (Y/n)..." He tried ensuring her.

 

"He was all I had left..." She mumbled out, through her sleepy tears. 

 

"No," Noctis hugged her tightly, "You have me, (Y/n). You have all of us." That seemed to have worked because her crying stopped as she settled back down into his arms. It was going to be a long night, but he wasn't going to complain if it meant keeping her breathing another day.

 

 

He awoke in a fritz, feeling (Y/n), out of his arms. Panic almost constricted him until Ignis  dropped down to his level, placing a plate full of food in front of him. "Morning," He commented standing back up and taking a sip of his ebony. 

 

"Where is sh-"

 

"She's down by the shore, don't worry, Gladio's watching over her. I suggest you eat up, we'll be leaving by noon to see that the road barriers are taken down."

 

"Cor called, didn't he?" Noctis flinched, fearing the marshal was upset by their delay.

 

Ignis nodded. "Indeed, he did, but after an explanation of what happened, he said we could take the time we needed before setting out again."

 

"Did she say anything to you?" Noctis took a small bite from his food.

 

"Yes, but not before pulling me into a deadly embrace." He smiled a bit. "She apologized for something that wasn't her fault and the rest, well I should let her tell you such." 

 

Noctis let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, I'll talk to her when I'm done eating."

 

"You do so." Ignis sipped his glass again. "I'll be back shortly, I have a small errand to run before we set out again. Do try to not burn down the campsight." 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

You never knew how good the scent of salty water would smell after not being able to breathe out of your nostrils all night. Luckily it wasn't an overpowering scent, or else you'd be gagging at the smell.

 

"Hey, what's up?" Noctis asked while joining you by the shore. You hadn't seen him since you woke up in his arms, clenching onto his shirt. 

 

You sighed, "Just enjoying whatever I can, which is extremely hard honestly." Your heart ached and you could feel the pain rising up.

 

"Yeah.." Noctis's head sunk as he played with the sand beneath his hand. "You know," he started off, looking every now and then at the sun rising up, "On the days when my father was able to spend time with me, he would tell me stories of the moon and the stars. I barely remembered them because they always put me to sleep, but I knew that my father loved telling them to me anyways. Something about the sparkle in his eye when he was with his son just made me feel...important." 

 

You sent him a tired smile. "Nyx would come back from a fight and just ask me to lay with him. Those nights he would shuffle hard in his sleep and he would try reaching for me, but once I was in his arms, he would calm down and relax finally. I've never felt more needed in my life." 

 

"War changes people." His hand dropped, no longer occupied with the sand. "I wish I understood that with my dad." 

 

"It's better you didn't know." You commented earning a strange look from Noctis. "Your dad didn't want you spending his last years worrying for him. No one would want that of their loved ones." You buried your face in your arms as you brought your knees up to your chest. "I'm sorry for last night. I had a moment of weakness and I thought I'd be doing myself good by ending it. By doing that I would've made things even harder on you and the guys. Not to mention I still have that mission to do. If I failed it...well there would be little peace for anyone. In the efforts of trying to reunite myself with the ones I lost, I've hurt that ones that are here for me now. I can't apologize enough for what I tried doing." 

 

Noctis didn't say anything to you, instead he leaned against you, wrapping his arm around your waist. You looked up at him, only to feel instant heartbreak. He had tears streaking down his cheeks as he looked off into the sunrise. "Don't apologize for something like that... you're here now, that's good enough for me..." 

 

After cuddling together for a few minutes and drying the tears you both produced, you finally decided to break the silence. "There's no turning back now, is there?"

 

He shook his head. "No turning back."


	6. Omens

Packing up was drawn out and slow, with you groggily slugging your feet. It was done though, and you all were on your way over to the outpost. Another surprise that hit you was that Ignis had made the effort to buy you a new phone and even put everyone's number in it. The man was amazing and having this new phone made you feel more secure. Though you began feeling a bit more guilty as you made them drive extra miles to go to a place which you never ended yourself in. That was the whole point after all, taking yourself out in a place which you found most comfortable, but luckily, your friends drove you out of such an idea. That and the dream you had that night withheld important information, or at least what you thought was important information. 

 

_Darkness enveloped you. Trapping you in what you could only describe was your own feelings. If it wasn't one thing it was another, dragging you further underneath the tar of humanity. You were nothing special, your problems were just like everyone's, death. You should've known you'd lose them at one point, you should've made it easier by  making yourself distant from them. Maybe then you'd been safe. Perhaps then, your heart wouldn't be shrinking like it did. But where was the life in that?_

 

_Then there was a light, a bright one, and you weren't standing on the ground. You weren't standing on anything. You were floating in the space, with shards of light floating around you. It was beautiful, almost like you were in the night sky._

_"You know," a familiar voice echoed from behind you, "it's funny how the stars don't need light to shine. They make their own. Not like the moon,  the moon depends on the sun to give it light." Turning around, you saw it was him. The cocky Glaive himself._

 

_"Nyx," You cried out, placing a hand over your mouth in shock._

 

_"I told you, didn't I? Whenever you need me, just close your eyes." His warm smile brought you to hot tears. With a soft gesture, he wiped them away. His touch made it hard to control your crying but you were able to manage. "It's up to you now, Princess, to protect the King of Kings. King Regis, Luna, Insomnia and I have done our part, now it's your turn. The world can't afford your death too."_

 

_"What do you mean?"  Why was he piling this up on you?_

 

_"I didn't understand either at first, not until it was too late." He really was gone, "You have to make sure the future King stays on the right path," **flashes of Noctis appeared as he drove down the empty rode with the sky turning as black as night,**  "Remind him that he will be a king one day,"   **h** **e was following a white dog through a train station where bullets flew towards him,** "And most importantly of all," **he had eyes glowing with hatred and someone's blood is spilled before him** , "make sure he doesn't follow an illusion,"  **it was Luna, lifeless before him as the world was up in flames, daemons surrounded them, and the white dog he once followed turned shriveled and hairless as if he crawled out of Etro's land himself,** "because **he** will do whatever he can with his power to ensure Noctis is destroyed." _

 

_"He?" You shook your head out of the vision "Who are you talking about?" Your hands trembled with fear._

 

_Nyx didn't answer. Instead you watched as the light overpowered your vision, and you were brought out of the world you dreamed into._

 

 

"Don't follow an illusion..." You whispered to yourself as you contemplated over the dream of Nyx. 

 

"What was that?" Noctis asked, giving you a strange stare.

 

You shook your head. "It was nothing, I'm just thinking." 

 

"About?" Gladio pressed on. He wasn't doing it to be mean or anything, that much you knew, he was making sure you were doing okay.

 

You smiled. "I was thinking of something Nyx said to me. It's nothing that's making me sad, it's just making me..." you frowned, "lost." 

 

"What did he say?" Prompto asked, already invested. 

 

Should you give them the full quote? That would've complicated things, since this was all in a dream. Then again, it could've been an omen, plus you had nothing to lose by telling them, but there was always the fact that they could think you're delusional. "He said a lot of things. He said to not follow an illusion, but he didn't clarify. I have no idea what he meant by it but it's kind of bothering me." 

 

"Did he say anything else before that?" Ignis peeked through his mirror, causing your eyes to lock with the reflection of his. 

 

"I-I can't remember." You looked away. You had to lie. Dreams always came out stranger then they were, and in that aspect, they seem to lose their meaning, so explaining it out loud probably wouldn't help. "It was just in a dream I had last night."

 

"So, it was just a dream version of him?" Prompto said with skepticism. 

 

You sighed. "Yeah. I doubt the real him would visit me in a dream..."

 

"Prompto!" Noctis shouted at his friend. 

 

"I-I didn't mean it that way, I was just curious." He defended, with his hands raised.

 

"Was that all he said?" Noctis let you continue. His sweet nature showed itself to you in funny ways, but you didn't mind. 

 

You glanced over at him before giving your view to the bright blue sky. "He was speaking cryptically, and he was even showing me these...visions... It was scary but it could've just been a nightmare, but they felt so real and they just kept flashing..." You knew that was a lie. That had to be Nyx in your dream. He was too real.

 

"I had one too last night. Flashing images, just like what you're describing..." Noctis admitted, a certain fear glowed in his eyes. You whipped your head down to meet his gaze. Did he see the same thing as you?

 

"That's weird." You dismissed anymore of your wondering thoughts. You found yourself staring down into your lap, fidgeting with your fingers.

 

"Hey," Gladio started off with a soft voice, "It was all just a dream, don't get too hung over about it." 

 

"Sorry," You let out a frustrated sigh. 

 

"You're fine, just relax a bit, it was a long night. I don't want you getting more stressed out by this." His big brown eyes gleamed with unsettling worry, but his mouth expressed something completely different, a kind smile. 

 

"Thanks Gladdy." It was enough to make you forget about pain for a moment. To know that these people, these guys, cared for you and by the show of it, a lot. You barely knew Prompto and Gladio if you compared your relationship with them with the relationship you have with Noctis and Iggy, so why was it they showed this much valuable affliction for you? You could understand why Noct was friends with them. 

 

"We're almost to the road barrier. When we do get there, I must ask you to stay behind, (Y/n)." Ignis peeked back through the mirror. 

 

"I can fight, Ignis. I wasn't injured that badly yesterday." You tried convincing him.

 

"I'd rather you didn't push yourself, (Y/n). If you'd wish, one of us can sit here with you, with the exception of Noct." He was pulling into the side of the rode. You all must've gotten to the destination.

 

You let out a large sigh giving in. You really weren't in the mood to fight today anyways, plus you felt a little sick from lack of sleep. "That's fine with me. You guys can choose who stays." 

 

"I'll stay, if that's fine." Prompto spoke up. 

 

"Then it's settled." Noctis stepped out of the car with Ignis and Gladio copying his move. "We'll try and be quick" Noctis flashed you a grin and you returned it with a wave, leaning back in the seat.

 

A large yawn erupted from you but you didn't feel like sleeping, not in the car at least. You needed a soft bed to be comfy in. 

 

"Hey, (Y/n)," Prompto turned around in his seat a bit. 

 

"Yeah?" 

 

"What was he like?" The question almost caught you off guard but it didn't upset you. Prompto knew more about the emotion of loss than you thought. He must've known by speaking of all the good things, you'd carry on his memories, they'd bring back a sense of comfort and maybe even a little happiness. To say the least, the question made you smile.

 

"He was..." There weren't many words that could describe him well enough without going into paragraphs. Nyx was far more than the average man and he certainly had layers to him. "He was a hero." 

 

"A hero?" 

 

"Yeah. He always had to go out and save someone. My friend Crowe even told me about the times he disobeyed orders to rescue someone who was moments from death. He was a true Glaive." You smiled thinking about how modest he was about it. At least he was to you. 

 

Prompto smiled with you. "How long was he a Glaive?"

 

You shrugged. "For years, ever since King Regis found him."

 

"What do you mean by that?" 

 

"He's not from Insomnia. He's from Galahad. A while back, during an attack caused by the Niffs, Nyx lost his sister in the attack and was saved by Regis. He felt like he was indebted to him so he joined the King's personal army." You couldn't help but frown, knowing that he had suffered a lot in his years. He blamed himself for not saving her, for not saving his sister and anything you said never changed his thoughts or opinions.

 

"Wow, he was a refugee? Was the army accepting of him?" 

 

You shook your head. "He's dealt with discrimination since the day he joined. They questioned his loyalty for the king and they were always so...tense like he was some sort of sleeper agent for the empire or even a terrorist. They treated him as if he were never really a part of Lucis. I have my own opinions of Niffleheim, but I know good when I see it and Nyx was one of the best. I never had to deal with that type of struggle since I moved over here at a young age. I wasn't well known and that was fine by me."

 

Prompto was pondering over your words, something you said made him think. "I know you can't say where you're from, but what was it like?" 

 

You tried thinking back, it was more than a decade ago when you were home. It felt like it is was a dream, like you were never actually there, but you knew the truth and you wished everything was all just one lie. You smiled through it anyways, knowing how beautiful your home truly was. "It was beautiful with green everywhere. The water was so clear that you could see anything submerged underneath. I remember playing outside was my favorite thing to do. It was much different from Insomnia." You frown with your last sentence. 

 

Prompto looked up at the sky, staring into its everlasting blue. "Yeah, insomnia isn't all that green as it is gray and black. It is a city after all. Are you going to go visit home anytime soon?" His bright orbs glanced at you.

 

"If there is a home to visit." You muttered. 

 

His is brows furrowed but you were able to tell that he understood. There was a war going on and the Niffs were winning, which meant there was little a place for someone to live. 

 

You felt as if the conversation was turning dark and it was precisely all about you so you decided to take a different route and ask the blond more about himself. "So, Prompto, you're one of the biggest cuties I've seen from Insomnia, how come you don't have a girlfriend yet?"

 

"B-Because I haven't found the right person yet!" He stuttered out. Your frown grew into a small smirk. "I mean I have...."

 

"Oh?" You say up in your seat. "Who is the lucky girl?" 

 

His is eyes twinkled a bit. "The  Mechanic Goddess herself, Cindy." 

 

You wanted to laugh but you held it in so it didn't seem as if you were making fun of him. He was just too cute. "Why haven't you said anything to her yet?"

 

"What? I can't do that!" He said in the defensive. 

 

"Why not, goob?" You pinched his cheek. 

 

"Because you can't just go up to her and ask her out like that! Do you even know how girls work?"

You let go of his cheek and gave him a weird look. 

He gave himself a facepalm as he went into realization of what he just said. "I'm sorry."

  

 

* * *

 

 

 "Noct," Ignis pulled him a aside. 

 

"What is it?" His tired eyes blinked up to the older man.

 

"When there's a chance, I'd like for you and I to have a talk." 

 

"Sure, but why?" 

 

Ignis' gaze turned into that of a worried one. "It's about (Y/n)." 

 

Noctis nodded not knowing what to say. He felt his heart race a bit more as his worry grew. He was scared that there might be more to her problems and that it would make her feel even worse. 

 

"It's nothing bad, but it is something I feel the need to tell you." Ignis said to help clear up some of the young Prince's worry. 

 

"Alright, Specs, let's keep going then." 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Upon their return to the car after successfully bringing down thei barrier, Noctis found himself feel a cringe of jealously when he noticed both you and Prompto cuddled up next to each other, looking through his photos and hearing you both laugh. He was glad you were happy but not too comfortable with you being so close to another guy. _What the hell am I even thinking, she's my friend._

 

"You guys were the cutest!" You giggled out. "Awe, look at his pouting face!" 

 

Noctis' face burned red as he marched up to the car. You perked up at the sound of his footsteps. "Noctis!" You happily cheered out, "You were such a cute little teen!" 

 

He stopped in place, frowning at the idea of Prompto showing such old photos. You had only seen Noctis when he was nearing the end of his teen years so you never actually saw him go through puberty. "Prompto, what are you showing her?" He almost growled out.

 

He gave Noctis a "shitty" grin. "Nothing, just some old photos." 

 

"Noctis, you were such a little heartbreaker back then!" You held out one of the photos of him when he was 15. He was giving off a little pout in the picture while Ignis insisted on combing out his hair for a special school event and even dressed him up. Ignis was surely a nanny to Noctis. 

 

"Dammit, Prompto..." Noctis grumbled as he walked up to the car with a hand hiding his embarrassment. 

 

"Awe, don't get mad at him! He was originally showing shirtless pictures of himself to me." You smirked watching the prince's eyes go wide.

 

"What!?" He whipped his head to face the blond. 

 

The blond's face flushed into a color paler than his natural pigment. "N-Not what you think buddy, I was showing her my progress pictures." Prompto patted his stomach indicating his weight. You couldn't help but laugh at the drama in front of you. It was funny to put situations into weird context, it was what you were best at. 

 

"Hey, Prompto, can I have this picture? It makes me laugh." You held it up giving the blond your puppy dog eyes. 

 

"Of course you can." He grinned forgetting that fear was his last emotion. You held a wicked smile when you saw the look on the Prince's face as he was horrified that you were being shown his humiliating pictures. 

 

"Thank you!" You gave a cheeky grin. "Oh cheer up Noct, at least your face will bring me happiness."

 

He sighed and gave off the same pout that was in the picture. You giggled as you gave a small kiss on the cheek. His eyes went wide as he wiped his face.

 

"I won't leave you alone until you smile." You tugged at his hair, doing everything in your might to bother him. You were slap happy at this point, so having fun was all that you could do. "You have really soft hair." You pulled his head down to your level, running your fingers through the floof that was called his hair. 

 

"I think the lack of sleep made you loopy." He grabbed your hands slowly delacing them from his hair.

 

"Loopy? I'm fine." You said with droopy eyes. "Okay, maybe a nap might help." 

 

He rolled his eyes a bit then got into the car. Once everyone was settled in, and the car smoothly drove over the road, you found your eyes getting heavy and before you knew it, the world was calm. You didn't have any dreams, none that you could remember but that was fine enough, peace was all you needed. 

You jolted awake when you felt the car park. Were you all in Lestallum already? You found that you fell asleep on someone again and this time it wasn't Gladio, it was the sleepy Prince himself who joined you on the snoozing. Unlike you though, he didn't wake. Instead, he was still off in his sleep and even had a rather adorable sleeping face. 

 

"Wake the highness up while you're ogling him, will ya?" Gladio gave you a pat on the shoulder as he stepped out of the car. You guys weren't in Lestallum, instead, you were at a gas station. Maybe the car needed gas.

 

Huffing out some air, you turned back to the sleepy prince before placing a hand on his shoulder gently shaking him. "Hey, Noct. Wakey wakey." This boy was a sleeping rock. 

 He then grumbled a bit before shrugging your hand off and turning away from you.

 "Gonna do this the hard way, aren't we?" Your mouth downturned.

You wrapped your arms around the young Prince, getting your mouth close to his ear. One of your hands was placed under his first shirt, pretending to shed the fabric off. A wicked grin grew on your face as you said it. "My hands are going to go elsewhere if you don't wake up, _my little prince."_

 

His eyes shot open and his face began turning beat red. Your hands slipped off of him as he shuffled out of your grasp. "Why would you do that!?" 

 

Your laughed roared, grabbing the attention of all the bystanders around you. "Did I seduce you, Noct? Maybe you should wake next time I'm shaking you!" You were out of breath from laughing. Noctis was cute when he was a flustered mess.

 

"What the hell is going on?" Gladio walked back with Ignis and Prompto peeking out of the gas station, which wasn't that far away from the car. 

 

Noctis crossed his arms while raising his leg up so his ankle rested on top of his knee. He did not look happy. "Nothing."

 

"Sleeping Beauty is finally awake, you need something from the store?" Gladio pointed back to the carry out, his brow still raised from the commotion.  

 

"That's what I was woken up for? And I'm fine, I'll just grab a water from the cooler." He didn't look at you or Gladio, it was like he was hiding something. 

 

"Anything you need, (Y/n)?" He turned to you. 

 

"Um, candy maybe? And I'm not picky, so anything is fine, and if so, get me the most sugary drink so I can finall wake my ass up." You stretched your arms up in the air yawning as obnoxiously loud as you could. He gave you a small nod before heading back in.

  

Noctis was silent, probably not wanting to speak to you after making an advance like that on him, but he knew you didn't mean it seriously, or did he?

 

"And I'm vibrating," Noctis commented as he pulled out his phone. Gladio had just returned with the promised candy and drink and settled in. "Hello?-Iris-Yeah, will do. See ya."

 

"Couldn't even call her own brother..." The beast sounded hurt. 

 

"So, I get to meet your little sister, finally? I'm excited for this." You always wondered what a sibling of the huge man would look like, would she be as cute as you'd hope? Or would she be the female version of Gladio. That image itself made you almost choke on your drink. 

 

"Hey, Noct, do you think we can make a quick stop first?" Prompto was holding back his giddy. 

 

Noctis was overtly suspicious and only showed it so by raising a brow. "Depends..."

 

"Can we go see the chocobos!?" He almost screamed, bouncing in the front seat of the car. "We're really close so can we pleeeeease?" 

 

"That actually sounds refreshing." That was something you'd hop on board for. The sound of visiting a chocobo farm amused you greatly. It had been a while since you even saw a chocobo in person, so maybe going to a farm and renting out a chocobo would be nice.

 

Noctis exhaled any weighted air within, "Fine, we shouldn't stay more than a day though, we can't make Iris wait like that."

 

"Woohoo! Chocobos!" He cheered with pure delight in his voice. It was cute to see the boy getting skittish over gigantic birds of fluffy feathers. 

 

"I don't know about you guys, but I could seriously go for a shower." You admitted, cringing at the grease covering your face. A nice hot shower sounded way relaxing in your situation. You didn't know how these guys went camping without feeling uncomfortable. Not that you were against camping, but you felt really gross after skipping two days without a shower. It's not fun after hunting and battling, it's quite revolting. 

 

"Well, when we get back to Lestallum, I'm certain we'll be able to secure... suitable accommodations when we near the city." Ignis started up the car and was making the way to the chocobo ranch. 

 

"What's wrong with camping?" Gladio cut in, staring down at you in the car. 

 

"Well," you started off, "unlike you, Gladdy, I'd prefer to not smell like smoke and ass for the rest of the week." 

 

"Pfft, you just can't handle being outdoors, Stub."

 

You rolled your eyes. "Forgive me for living such a posh lifestyle in a city for the majority of my life. The opportunity to camp has never been available to me." 

 

He let out a chuckle. "Well, get used to it Sweetheart, if you're sticking with us, you gotta become one of the boys and that means getting used to a little dirt." 

 

"Yes and before you know it, I'll be belching at children and scratching my ass in holy temples." You crossed your arms suppressing the urge to laugh.

 

"I believe the only guy who would do that is Gladio, not the rest of us." Prompto defended.

 

Gladio's smile dropped as he leaned forward, grabbing onto the back of Prompto's seat. "What was that ,Prompto?"

 

Prompto's eyes widened. "N-Nothing! I'll just be playing on my phone now."

 

"Good answer." Gladio sat back and found himself going silent. 

 

"So, has anyone heard word on Luna yet?" You spoke up, feeling the discomfort rise in the air.

 

You watched as Ignis' eyes peered back at you. "No, but there are rumors saying that she made it out of the city." 

 

 You let out a relieving sigh. "Thank the astrals."

 

"Why do you ask?" Noctis glimpsed over, his brows were slightly creased. 

 

You held your breath thinking of a reasonable answer to give. "I was just wanting to hear some good news. Something to make the nerves soften a little."  You gave them a reassuring smile. 

 

Noctis only granted you a nod. He didn't seem too sure in her safety and hell, you weren't able to blame him.

 

You grabbed his hand for a moment. "I'm sure she made it out safe and sound, Noctis. She's always been a strong Oracle." 

 

"You say that as if you've known her for years." Noctis didn't let go, but he did stare at your hand grabbing his.

 

You shook your head. "I mean, I have been keeping track of her since the day she became Oracle. She's the youngest Oracle in history, I have to keep tabs on that!" You made it out to be as if you were a nerd for history, which you were. You were a nerd for everything. Knowledge fascinated you, it made you feel superior in some ways. It wasn't always a bad thing. 

 

"You're a big fan of Lady Lunafreya?" Prompto once again turned to face you.

 

"A fan may be too... weird per say, but I do admire her in a way. She was able to sustain her pride and status regardless if Niffleheim was controlling her or not. Not many people are willing to do that against the empire nowadays." Your mood dropped, causing you to release Noctis' hand. "I am curious if she's going to continue on with this marriage since it's no longer needed for peace. The only peace that will be found is in destroying the empire." 

 

 "It's still a symbol of the King's last request. There's really no going against it." Gladio sighed, he knew forcing two people to marry wasn't a right of man, but he also knew speaking out against term would be bad taste.

 

You noticed Noctis' face twist into something unpleasant. Deep down, you knew he didn't want to be forced to marry someone even if it was in the name of his kingdom. Even if he did know Luna in the past and even if he did develop feelings for her back then, the matter still lied that he didn't know what kind of person she was. Being forced to marry someone must've been hard on the Prince. He never really had a choice, but you couldn't completely pity him, his father only agreed to the marriage so his city would not be harmed...but now, that was rubble and ash. Hopefully, when they did meet again, he would be able to get to know her and even start to love her. You wished that much for him, a happy life with the girl he loves. Something about that thought, as much passion and heart was in your statement, you found it not sitting right in your mind. Were you truly hopeful for Noct and Luna? 

 

 

 "Chocobos!" You heard Prompto scream. "Look, guys, we're here!" He was almost ready to hop out of the moving car. 

 

You giggled at his jolting behavior. "Calm down, Prompto. You'll scare the chocobos." 

 

"But, but, but..." He caught his breath, "Okay. I'm fine." He said with a forced tone. "I lied! Chocobos here I come!" He hopped out of the car, earning a sigh from the large man beside you. 

 

"He's always going to be a child." He grumbled while stepping out of the car. 

 

"So calm and carefree." Ignis noted as he too stepped out of the vehicle. 

 

You took a look around the ranch to find it very bare and empty. Not a single chocobo was in sight. "That's suspicious..." 

 

"Where are they?" Noctis commented along with you. 

 

_Does Prompto even notice?_

"Wait up, Chocobutt!" You couldn't help but yell out to the blond who was ahead of himself. He was already skipping up to a guy who wore what you assumed was the clothing associated with the ranch. 

 

"'Scuse me," Prompto gleamed, "We'd like to ride the chocobos." It didn't come out as rude but you still found yourself feeling awkward after Prompto eagerly requested such. 

 

The man looked somewhat shocked, but he didn't seem upset by the blond's words. "The chocobos, huh?" He glowered. "I hate to break this to ya'll, but we can't permit the birds to leave the post. Not while Deadeye's still about. He's an uncommonly ferocious behemoth that's taken to prowlin' these parts of late." There was a deep weight in his words,  which hurt you hearing it from an old man. You had a soft spot for people of age. "His scent makes our birds nervous, an' to prevent accidents an' tragedies, we have no choice but to suspend rentals." 

 

"Is there a hunt out for Deadeye?" You spoke up. You noticed while the older man was talking that Prompto had a dispirited aura around him. He had high hopes to see the chocobos and it truly affected you. You wanted to help Prompto any way you could, seeing as he tries bringing up the mood for everyone when all hell is loose. 

 

"There is. You all look like capable hunters too. You reckon you can handle the likes of Deadeye?" 

 

You nodded. "We're good enough for the job." You let a smile slip. "We'll take it." 

 

"Yeah, we'll help out whatever way we can." Noctis interceded realizing what you were doing. He wasn't going to let his buddy down.

 

The old man smiled. "Well, I'm glad you kids came along then. Name's Wiz if you need anything. Here's the hunt." He handed out the flyer with the information. 

 

"See ya, Wiz!" You called out, waving to the aged man as you all started the hunt for the behemoth, Deadeye. 

 

It wasn't a long trip to the path Wiz marked out, but so far, you all didn't see any signs of the behemoth. That was, until you all heard an alarming gargle off in the distance. 

"The hell?" Gladio searched around, using his hunting instincts. 

 

Trees began falling up on ahead of you guys, making your eyes go ample. "Something's amiss." Even Ignis sounded as if he were in dismay. 

 

"C'mon," Gladio pulled on your arm, making you crack out of your shock. 

 

"Yeah. Sorry." You had a feeling this animal was going to be your first large hunt, so of course you were nervous. 

 

Noctis made for the direction of the deconstructed land, and you established that your fears were less of when you were right behind him. Something about the prince helped you feel secure. 

 

The beast growled again. "I am not liking this anymore..." Prompto admitted.

 

You shrugged. "Too late to back out now." 

 

There was a space made from a collapsed structure making a crawl space to go through. Maybe you all could get a better look at Deadeye then. Noctis went on ahead, but was stopped by Gladio. 

"Noct!" He pushed him back, unease taking over his brown eyes. He looked through the crawl opening and tensed when he heard Deadeye snarl. His hand was held out to stop the Prince from venturing first. It was time for Gladio to lead. So the large mass of man moved in first, with Noctis following in after him, Prompto, and after him was you, leaving Ignis to be the last. You felt your heart beating loudly through your chest, you were hoping that the large beast wouldn't be able to hear it. A jolting and jittery feeling caused your fingers to go cold from the slight fear erupting within. If this creature was able to get a snag of you, it wouldn't end well, especially since you were still healing. 

Only the sound of the ruffling grass and the rubbing of your guy's clothes was heard, even then it was quiet. There were openings in the little channel, causing your nerves to twist and constrict even more. Onward, Gladio went, and you were beginning to feel the ground quake beneath you as the immense fiend stalked closer to your location. You heart would've stopped altogether if it weren't for the fact that you were actually with people when this all happened.

 

"Hold up." Gladio turned towards you all, making sure that you guys weren't in the behemoth's line of sight. 

A feisty roar came from within the beast causing you to grip onto the person in front of you, which was Prompto who was not feeling as brave as you'd wish. A good look was what you got seeing why he was called Deadeye. Having Gladio point it out more so, it confirmed that his right side was going to be his weak point.

Gladio found himself heaving a bit for air as he prepared to cross the opening. He was waiting for Deadeye to engorge himself further in the meat he was ripping apart. The sound of the flesh tearing made you feel a bit wheezy but it wasn't anything you couldn't handle. 

When he felt the time was right, he signaled for you all to move along. Inching along, you found it hard to ignore the behemoth. His noises were loud and threatening, which for the most part, caused your breath to hitch. 

That wasn't the end of it though. There was a complete opening, large enough for Deadeye to bite down and snatch one of you up.  _Great..._ But Gladio moved forth again, making it across with a split second to react. Before you knew it, Deadeye plundered his nose into the space, causing your hand to fly over Prompto's mouth which you knew he was going to scream, and for that matter, Ignis had his hand over your mouth too, fearing you would do the same. Noctis was ducked down next to Deadeye as he searched for his suspicions. He roared into the space, now angered that his prey was hiding away from him. He must've known you all were there, but after a moment of searching, he gave up his search and stomped away.

 

Ignis released your mouth and you did the same for Prompto, both releasing your breath. Moving forward, you bunch made it out of the crawl space. you stretched, glad you were actually able to do so now. "I'm suddenly feeling why the chocobos were scared." 

 

"Yeah, well, all the more reason to take him down." Gladio encouraged, but you still felt like it was going to be a bad idea.

 

 You sighed. "Yeah." It was you who pulled them into this mess, so you had to face the consequences of fighting and taking down Deadeye. 

 

After more of the tracking for Deadeye and finding his "lair", you took note of all the explosive barrels around the area. 

"Noct," Ignis whispered, "When Deadeye appears, be ready to set blaze to those barrels, they are highly explosive." 

So Ignis was thinking what you were. No wonder you had a thing for him in the past. 

 

After seconds of preparation, Deadeye appeared, jumping down from the rock ledge. As soon as he landed down, Noct went in as planned and detonated the fire barrel, causing Deadeye to sway into the crumbling wall of a building. So fire really was his true weakness. Going in while he was stunned, you summoned your rapier to your hand and made the first strike, dealing a decent amount of damage. Then came in Gladio, making a critical hit on the behemoth's face. Prompto was doing his best to shoot the beast down and Ignis was guarding Noct's side, waiting for the Prince to strike. The best was back up in a flash though, and you stumbled back almost falling into the open flames. Catching yourself, you ran off, finding it to be the best idea to create distance to create a planned attack. 

 

"Be careful of the flames, Noct!" You yelled as the Prince himself almost fell victim to the fire. He gave you a nod, before striking at Deadeye again. You joined in, too once you devised a plan of your own. His weak side was his right, so of course you only found it appropriate to keep striking in such a place. 

 

After being weakened by many slices and blows, Deadeye, with his fragile constitution, gave out one last roar before Noctis laid the final blow. The beast went silent, causing you to drop to your knees. You held onto your side as you felt immense pain burning there. You may not have been hit, but moving as frantically as you were, your bruised ribs were feeling the full weight of your strikes. 

 

"I don't think I'm gonna move out of this place quickly, just a warning." You tried sucking the pain up but it was almost impossible. 

Noctis, dropped down to you level, grabbing one of your arms to put over his shoulder. You did so, but when you grabbed onto his arm for support, he hissed in pain. You flinched out of his grasp to take a good look at his arm. He was severely burned on his right arm. 

"Noct," You held out his arm examining the wound before you, "We'll need to patch this up before we leave for Lestallum, or else it's gonna hurt like a bitch when it rubs up against anything." You turned to look for Ignis, ignoring your own pain. "Hey Iggy, we got anything for burns?" 

 

He nodded before catching his breath. "Should be some more suitable supplies in the car. Although, I feel as if you're not going to make it out of here unless someone caries you." 

 

You snorted. "I'm not letting anyone pick me up like some helpless princess. I'll take someone's shoulder but if you pick me up, we're gonna have problems."

 

 "I'll still help you, just grab onto my other arm instead." Noctis offered, switching sides with you. With your arm around his shoulder, you grunted in pain as you both stood up. "I'm not so sure those are bruised ribs."

 

"They could be broken," Gladio commented, placing a hand on your side, feeling for broken ribs.

 

"Ow, hey! They're not broken, I'd know if they were. They're just heavily bruised. Look, if I soak in some water, I'm sure I'll be fine." With a nod, you all set out. 

 

It was night before you all reached Wiz again to tell him the good news. He gave you guys a good sum of Gil and even offered for you all to stay in the trailer for free. It was a kind gesture of the old man. He even offered to treat you all to food whenever you'd like. The old man was truly thankful and you couldn't help the smile that grew on your face. You offered to get clean last, considering you'd be the one bathing instead of showering. It was a decent sized trailer which meant there was an actual bath tub, rare for something like this. You knew though, once you were cleaned and soaked underneath hot water, you'd feel better. 

 

It was only you and Noctis who were in the trailer while everyone else went out to greet the chocobos who were allowed out and about. You were still in too much pain to go and pet them so you decided to just stay inside and get ready for the bath. Noctis stayed behind because he just wanted to lay down and get comfy for bed. You prepared for your bath by grabbing a change of clothes and a towel. You were on your way to the bathroom when you felt a sharp pain in your head. 

 

"You've got to be kidding me..." You hoped the pain would fade soon.

 

Noctis sat up, showing a bit of concern for you. "What's wrong?"

 

Taking deep breaths, you found your head clearing up from the pain. "Nothing, just had a bit of a headache is all." If only it were that. You stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind you. 

 

You flinched as you moved your body once more to remove your clothes. It was painful to say the least, but nothing you could've done to avoid it and you certainly weren't going to let someone else undress you. Especially not Ignis. Not again at least.

 

Whatever remaining thoughts were in your head were ruptured by the sudden pain that immersed. You grabbed onto your head feeling the pressure of whatever it was inside of you. It was happening again, the visions flooded in once more, this time a little more clear and even more painful. You yelled out, dropping to your knees on the cold floor of the bathroom. You were being taunted.

  
"By the gods! Make it end!" You found your head getting heavy as even more images appeared to you.

 

"(Y/n)? What's wrong?" The prince called out from behind the bathroom door. You unconsciously grabbed the towel you brought in and wrapped it around yourself, ignoring the pain for a second. "(Y/n)?" He called out again. Without your permission he barged into the bathroom, to which at this point you couldn't care less. He was knelt down in front of you, with his hands cupped around your cheeks, forcing you to look up at him. The pain made it hard to keep your eyes fully open. You weren't able to control the pained sounds leaving your mouth.

"(Y/n)," His voice was soft, but weak. He was scared for you.  
You were only able to let out short breaths, finding it hard to find your voice. It felt like you were in a bubble, blocked off from all feeling. This wasn't any ordinary migrane. It was by the works of a god.  
"Ignis!" You heard Noctis called out, not letting you out of his grasp. "Ignis, get in here!"

 

It was like you could hear and feel again, and your breathing went back to normal. Your hands found Noct's hands that he still had on your face. "I'm fine..."

 

"What happened?" Ignis rushed in.

 

"Nothing." You shook your head.

 

"Nothing? Are you kidding me, you were yelling like you got hurt. What's wrong?" Noctis dropped his hand from your face, placing them on your arm.

 

You wrapped the towel you had around your chest even tighter and sat up in a more comfortable stature. "I just saw something. Like these red eyes kept appearing and..." You dropped the conversation there, "I can't remember." You knew exactly what you saw after that. It was the death goddess herself, shining her light to you, showing you the Kingdom of the Dead. She purposely showed you to taunt you. She was truly a goddess of the wicked.

 

Noctis looked up to Ignis who shared the same look. "You sure there wasn't anything else? You've been acting weird."

 

"I can't afford to tell you guys everything okay," you looked away from them, "when will you guys nderstand that?"

 

Noctis drooped his head in slight defeat. "Right, sorry. We just want to make sure that you'll be alright."

 

"I'll be fine. I just need some time to meditate." You stood yourself up, swaying a bit at first but you caught your balance. Ignis and Noctis both left the bathroom to give you the privacy you needed. Even against habit, you decided to leave the door unlocked, just in case the episode did happen again, that way, they could go in and make sure that you didn't drown from a spasm.

 

After years of preparing yourself for the upcoming moment, you still felt like you were illequiped to be taken by her. How much longer was your body going to be able to hold its own against Etro?

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for this later update. I was having problems with my computer and I hate typing this all out on a mobile device, I despise it actually, and I had been rewriting this chapter and was careless by missing key details. Plus it's one of those transition chapters, which are, for the most part, difficult for me to write. I'm definitely not the best writer and writing is not my first hobby, so I'm prone to mistakes.  
> So, again, I give out my apologies for all the mistakes you might find. I've read over a lot of these chapters at least four times and I'm still finding mistakes, plus I have two new volunteer editors fixing my story too, so blame them also :P  
> It's a fanfic so I hope most won't fret too much but you know, this is the internet after all.


	7. Her Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally pad up the courage to ask the same question you've been asking people for years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the full chapter wasn't uploaded and I felt like deleting it would just be a big "no-no" so I didn't go through with it. I apologize for that, there could be some sort of confusion and I feel horrible for it. Sorry, I know that wasn't a very good chapter. I'll redeem myself with this chapter.

 

It was the next day and after a long night of migraines and choosing sleeping arrangements, you were positive to say you caught a good night's rest of deep sleep. It was a dreamless night. No lingering thoughts, no dark dreams, nothing. It was pleasant. It was a great contrast from the night before, where you were being bedeviled on by the spirits of the dead. You didn't have to be saddened by his face, or broken by his light beautiful eyes. You were allowed to be in peace, wishing the same for him. After all that he's been through, he was resting well with both his sister and his mother. Something you knew he wished for deeply inside as you had wished to be with your father.  _One day I'll see you both again, but for now, I have a duty to fulfill. I hope you'll understand._

 

Instead of heading out to Lestallum, you were able to convince the boys to stay another night at the Chocobo farm, to which Prompto excitedly supported. Something gave you an off feeling about going to Lestallum, and you didn't want to be caught in it just yet. You wanted some peace and relaxation, so why not go for a short stroll with the chocobos. 

The paused pace of the travel was halted for a short break, one that was almost needed. It was one to recharge the drive that was pushing you all forward. Even if all was lost, you all had each other now. That's all that mattered. 

 

"Hey, Noct," You walked up to the prince as he sat on the brick wall behind the farm, he turned to see who was talking to him. He gave you a lazy smile before turning back to look at the diverse landscape ahead. Plates of Eos were shifted over one another, overlapping in such a way it made you realize how beautiful the world truly was. 

 

"Something you need?" He asked, his voice almost monotone, probably from the earliness of the day. Noctis wasn't a morning person. 

 

You jumped up on the wall with him, "Yeah, actually," his tired eyes looked to you, "Wanna go chocobo riding?"

 

"Are you asking just me?" He raised a brow.

 

You nodded. "Yeah, I just wanted to hang out a bit and talk, if that's cool with you."

 

He shrugged, "I don't mind."

 

You gave him a big grin. "Thought you would join me, I rented you out a chocobo. Wanna go meet her now?"

 

He stretched out, making a loud yawn come out of him. "Sure."

 

"Come on, sleepy." You jumped down, you were already nearing the stables. 

 

"Wait up!" Noctis ran a bit towards you, trying to catch up. 

 

There were at least 6 chocobos standing in their chosen stables. They were placed there for looks but two were brought out for specifically you and Noctis as you requested so you could get acquainted with the bird whom you were going to ride. They chirped and "kweh"-ed as you and Noct neared them.  _They're so cute!_ It was always a big wish of yours to ride a chocobo, just like Prompto, but you held it in because of something you called pride. Or at least you thought it was pride. Whatever the reason, you did it because you didn't want to get shit for acting like a fangirl around the most adorable birds you had ever seen.

 

"Hold your hand out to her, Noct." You said as you reached for you chocobo, his name tag had said Bade, which you thought was a cute little name. He flinched back in defense before sniffing your hand and walking forward, asking for you to hug him. "Awe, I got a sweetheart!"

 

"Well," he breathed in, "here it goes," he outstretched his hand to lay his hand into the chocobo's soft feathers, she accepted his touch instantly and rubbed her head against the Prince's. She purred softly as she comforted herself with Noctis. You held a hand over your mouth to keep yourself from squealing at the cute creatures. "Looks like she's a nice one too."

Noctis patted her head and went to look for her name tag. "Aurora?" 

 

"Is that her name?" You asked walking over to his chocbo.

 

"Yeah, I guess." He turned back to you. "Ready to ride?" You gave him a smirk.

 

 

"Hold up, Noct! We're not racing!" You yelled out to the Prince who was getting carried away on his ride. He was going so fast, you didn't even want to try and catch up to the childish prince. You watched as he slowed Aurora down, waiting for you to catch up to him. When you finally did so, you could see the light in the raven's face. He looked geniunely happy. 

 

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?" He asked, this time keeping pace with you.

 

"Well, I wanted to ask you about the dream you had the night before." It was something you did find yourself throwing a thought at but you never truly asked. 

 

He gave you a glance before turning back to the dirt road ahead. "Just...it was a dark dream. I remember having these glowing red eyes and I kept following around this dog I once knew..."

 

"Was she white!?" You almost shouted.

 

He turned to you, "Yes? Why-"

 

"You were following her everywhere, and the one image I remember quite well was when you were getting shot at by dozens of MTs at what looked like a train station. I had the same dream." Your eyes locked with his, feeling the same tenseness from the discovery. "I also saw...covered in blood...I saw-"

 

"Yourself?" Noctis cut you off.

 

You searched back into your memories for a moment before shaking your head with furrowed brows. "No, I saw Luna. Wait, you saw me instead?"

 

"I mean, I thought it was Luna, but when I actually got closer, it turned out it was actually you. What does that mean?" He sounded as if he was as thoroughly as freaked out as you were. 

 

You huffed out, trying to find an explanation yourself. "I don't know. But, Nyx was the one who showed me those visions. He told me to tell you not to follow any illusions. I don't know what he means by that, but I'm more than certain it means something now." 

 

"It seems like every new day, things are making even less sense." The mood in the air dropped, which fit the shaded scenery you both were strolling through. 

 

 Noct's words were something you couldn't relate more too. It was like you were hitting adulthood all over again, figuring out what each new step in life meant. A sinking feeling reached itself to you as you began to feel that life was only going to go down from here. 

It was a silent walk for a while, only with the trotting of the chocobo's feet hitting the ground, an occasional "kweh" reaching the ears. An almost unsettling feeling. There was an unspoken agreement that you and Noctis would make a stop at the nearest watering hole for the birds to get a drink. It wasn't a particularly cold day, so you both new the birds had to be thirsty. Once finding the said place, you both found yourselves sitting down in the soft grass, allowing the chocobos to run freely around you both. You guys sat underneath a large tree, shading yourselves from the harsh sunlight burning you both alive. A cool breeze washed over you and you let out a faint smile. 

 

You took a look up into the slightly clouded sky, enjoying the sweet peaks you got through the leaves of the tree. "Noctis," You caught his attention, "have you seen the light too?" 

 

"What do you mean by 'the light'?" He sounded unsure of the question.

 

You giggled. "Just wondering if you've ever seen the light." Of course he couldn't have, only people who had come close to death had seen it.

 

"I was little," you faced him as he spoke, "I was riding in a car with a bunch of my servants when a daemon called a Marilith came and attacked us. She managed to kill ever person around me and even caused me damage of my own. I remember looking up at the daemon one moment, and seeing something bright the next. I didn't know what it was and I still don't know what it is." 

 

Your eyes were wide but not out of fear or disappointment. He was the only one to answer your question like this. "Etro will show her light to those who gaze upon her open gates. That said light would be a shining from the land of the dead, the realm from which no mortal enters with the essence of life. That's the legend, anyhow. It was an old tale passed down through my family. Only few people know about the Goddess."

 

"Did you have a near death experience too, or something?"

 

"I mean," You chuckled a bit, "just a few nights ago I did." 

 

He hissed a bit. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to-"

 

"Noct, it's fine, and no I didn't see her light that night. I was just wondering if you did. You're actually the first person I've met who's seen Etro's light." 

 

"So, why do you think she wasn't taught into the Lucian lore?" He sounded more curious than snooty, which told you how much he was actually eager to know about the Goddess. 

 

"Because it was said she was killed so many years ago. Ironic really, how the caretaker of the dead was dead herself. They just simply thought it was just only that, a legend, because how could a goddess still be able to take care of the dead if she no longer exists?" you're sarcasm was more prominent than usual.

 

"You're thinking that's not the case?" He questioned.

 

"No, I know it's not the case. Each god has a chosen person to which they have in case of a death occurring. They are called vessels. They hold take on the spirit of the god therefor letting the god live on once more. It's a confusing concept. Something that took me years to understand." 

 

"Would the person die if they were taken over by the god?"

 

You nodded slowly. "Yeah. The body can't fit two souls. It's impossible, so the vessels would essentially be dead afterwards."

 

"That's a scary thought, being chosen by a god to only have them take your body after they die. Strange how the immortals even die." 

 

"Only those with the immortals' power can destroy a god, at least that's what I think. I've never heard any stories of a god getting slaughtered by a mortal with average strength and power."

 

"So, how do you know that Etro is real?"

 

You smiled before giving the prince a wink. "That's a secret, Prince. You'll just have to find out another day."

 

He let out an annoyed groan. "Seriously?"

 

You laughed at his childish reaction. "Kidding, but I just like to believe she's real."

 

Noctis gave a relieved smile. "I can respect that much. It's good to believe in something."

 

"I mean, everyone is so worried nowadays about what everyone else believes in and tries so hard to get everyone to think a certain way. It's just wrong... Whatever happened to being able to believe in what you want, regardless if it's morally wrong or not. That's how this damn war happened, people were too blinded by small social problems that they failed to see the war unraveling in front of them, and now we have millions of peoples' blood on our hands." You brought your knees up to your chest burying your head in them. As much as you wanted to think you weren't a part of this war, you were. Everyone is. It isn't a simple stature for anyone to be in. From this point on in your life, the war was going to make things worse, but not if you help Noctis get his kingdom back, not if you help him end this war. 

 

Noctis placed a hand on your back, trying his best to console you. "People get so stressed about the war they try and distract themselves from it. That's why we have all these made up problems, because people are too scared to think about the future. You can't entirely blame them, they just want a happy future." You lifted your head from your hiding place. "I'll make sure the empire falls, I promise." 

 

You smiled taking in Noctis' words. "Thank you." They were just what you needed to hear, a little reassurance that all loss was not for nothing. You found yourself staring at the prince again, studying his features once more. He was more serious this time, and this was not a side you seen much of. This was the side that reminded you of his father. "You're a lot like him, you know." 

 

"Really?" He faced you with saddened eyes, but also thankful at the same time. You placed a hand on his cheek, brushing some of his messy hair out of his face. Noctis had such an innocent look to you, it was truly fascinating. Unconsciously, you found yourself leaning in, while he did the same. Closer and closer he got until you caught yourself in the mistake. 

 

"I'm sorry," you faced away. Embarrassment creeping slowly to your cheeks.  _What the hell was I thinking? I just lost him, why would I move on to the next guy like that?_ You pinched the bridge of your nose.

 

He let out a huge sigh before standing up and checking his phone. "We should head back before they ask where we are." 

 

"Right." You grabbed onto the tree to help stand yourself up. 

 

The ride back was silent, like you both were too scared to say anything. It wasn't really a light subject to touch on. It wasn't so bad the more you thought on it but at the same time it was. If you two were able to cuddle up to each other while sleeping, surely a small little peck wouldn't change anything? Maybe it did. Noctis was being a friend by watching over you and making sure you weren't alone, and what you just tried doing was out of line. Not only have you almost betrayed Luna but you almost betrayed the memory of Nyx. Maybe you were overreacting, overthinking like usual. That's what you hoped at least. 

 

 


	8. The Secret of Specs

It was mid day, and you and Noctis had not spoken to each other since the small encounter from earlier. You didn't have much to say to him, you didn't know how to make things less awkward. You only sat on the same wall you and Noctis had been sitting on previously, staring at the same layout before you. It was a day of relaxation but you still couldn't help the pending feeling of doom within, the repetitive feeling you've been feeling since you left Insomnia. 

"(Y/n)," You heard a deep gruff voice from behind say. You didn't have to turn to see it was Gladio, his presence and voice was distinguishable enough. 

 

"Yeah?" You sighed out.

 

"I came to check on ya," He leaned against the wall, his back facing the beautiful view.

 

"I'm fine, I guess. There isn't much going on through this head of mine." You knew he was probably there to see if you were having those thoughts again.

 

"Really? And that's why you've been avoiding us all day?"

 

You swallowed whatever was in your throat. "I just need time to think. It's nothing against you all, I just like to be alone in my thoughts at times."

 

"Ignis spilled about your little episode last night. He's worried." He turned his head to face you.

 

You laughed a bit. "I don't doubt it." 

 

"Whatever happened between the two of you, huh?" That was right, you never did explain your past with Ignis. It was something you were asked not to discuss. 

 

"Well, we were kind of like friends with benefits, that sort of thing, way back when I tutoring Noctis. It wasn't anything emotional, at least I hope not, but, I don't know. He was such a sweet guy and all, but I couldn't find myself giving him the type of love I would end up giving Nyx. Ignis was so perfect I guess he didn't need me to fix him, he didn't need me like I would need him."

 

"You wanted someone to be dependent on you so you wouldn't feel so bad for being dependent yourself." It was as if he read your mind. 

 

"Exactly. I guess I'm kind of dumb for thinking like that." 

 

He shook his head. "As long as you can stand on your own two feet like you have been, I don't think so. You may think you were being dependent on him, but you're handling a lot better than most." 

 

"I guess it's just wired in my family. For generations we've been raised to be strong and capable of anything. But, to be honest, I owe my life to you guys. If I ended up killing myself there, I wouldn't be here to realize my role. I would've just left this world without completing anything. I may have only known you for such a little time, but you don't have to know people for ages to know that you're meant to be around them for a while. I'm not happy at all about what happened, but I guess I can accept this fate with you guys." Your eyes gleamed into his. Your words were nothing but truth.

 

He let out a deep chuckle making your cheeks burn. What was he laughing at. "You're a fast learner. Faster than Noct, for sure. That boy has a lot more to learn and realize before he can take on the throne. He has to understand that he might lose everything but he doesn't have any other choice but to keep fighting for Lucis. You've already got that part down, and that brings me some assurance that Noct will too."

 

 _That's perfectly understandable for you to believe, since he will be king._ "Then I'm glad Noct has me by his side now. I'll keep fighting with you guys, but I can only do so until we reach Altissia. That's where our paths will split." 

 

"Sounds like you have a lot going on in Altissia." His arms crossed over one another. 

 

"Yeah, and only so much I can reveal." You  turned away, facing down at the ground. "Maybe when the time is right, I'll be allowed to tell you all about what I was sent to do, but for now, I have to stick by my word to the king." 

 

"We all have secrets we can't tell, so you're not the only one there." He pushed himself off the wall. "I'm going to grab a bite to eat, you're more than welcome to join." 

 

Your head shot up a bit, turning around to face the leaving behemoth. You thought over his offer.  _I should probably wait until I'm hungry._ Your stomach let out a screech.  _Then I guess it's decided._

 

You hopped down from the small wall and ran up to Gladio, tapping his arm to make your presence known. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you ever had that one video game that affected you so much that it stuck with you? That one game that's been haunting you since the day you played it? A game that made you stop, mid gameplay to think over all that's happened in your life? Well, I have, and surprisingly, that's Final Fantasy XV. This game was with me when I was going through a hard time, when I was trying get my friend back after we had separated after complicated issues. I remember life was hell for years, and for those years, I felt lost. I felt like life wasn't for me, and it wasn't just because I lost my friend. A matter of things happened even before that and it was driving me to my breakingI point. I played a bunch of old games to see if it would heal my pain or at least help me relate to it but non have prevailed. Even the past Final Fantasy games couldn't help me, and they were a huge part of my childhood.
> 
> Then I ran across this game, a game I didn't have any standards for. I remember seeing it in it's early developement back when it was Versus XIII. I remember thinking little of it since it was taking so long to be released. I finally bought the game, about 5 months after its release, and I felt like it was going to be a new start. I popped it into my playstation and felt a strange connection, like this game was going to impact my life. I played this game, while taking breaks to watch the mini series and the movie and found myself breaking down into tears. This game was the one that broke me. I remember thinking that I hadn't cried so much since The Last of Us, and that game hurt me a lot also, but this game destroyed my heart. Seeing it as a tale of friendship, I cried several times during my gameplay, I was never a big baby while watching or playing anything but this game hit so close to home, I felt that these characters were so real, that I felt their pain. I felt the pain that Noctis went through, I felt the agony of each and every character, and that's why this game is so special to me. It may not be my favorite, Dishonored has that title, but this game will always hold a special place in my heart. 
> 
> No matter anyone's opinion on this game, I will always hold it very high in my heart because no game has ever hit me like this, not this close to home.


	9. It Begins With a Notion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were having those damned head pains again but the messages and visions were becoming more clear, but it turned out you weren't the only one receiving them.
> 
> You finally met Iris and she delivered some good news, but that didn't stop you from thinking back and thanking the man that allowed it to happen. You couldn't help but thank Nyx.

You stretched your arms out, letting a strained noise escape you. It was a rushed morning, packing everything up, and making sure everyone was set and ready to divide themselves from the chocobos (mainly Prompto though). It was drizzling little drops but that was enough for Ignis to put the top on.

 

"Hey, Noct," Gladio spoke over you, "You tell my sister we were heading out to see her?"

 

"Yeah, but why don't you just tell her yourself?" The Prince was clueless. You hadn't even met her and you could already tell that even she had a thing for Noct. From hearing her cheery voice, and her choosing to speak to Noct instead of Gladio, it was kind of obvious she was feeling something other than a friendliness towards Noctis. Knowing that she ws only 15, though, it was actually really cute to you.

 

Gladio sighed, "You're clueless as always."

 

"What's that supposed to mean?" He pouted a bit. 

 

You snorted. "Exactly." 

 

"I wonder what Lestallum is like," Prompto interrupted, staring out at the passing landscapes.

 

"Industrious and lively I would guess." Ignis added in before turning his attention back to the road. 

 

You leaned up to be better into the conversation at hand. "It can't be that different from what Insomnia used to be."  

 

"Maybe it's not. Still, it's a new place to visit, I'm excited."  Prompto mused as he poofed up his hair again. Something made you wanna touch his hair, it looked so soft and the fluff looked irresistible. 

 

You leaned forward placing your hand in his floof. He tried getting your hands out of his hair but you slapped his hands away, instead enjoying the soft fluffiness. Even if it had tons of product in it, it was still pleasant enough to feel, but there was something about his hair, something that felt feathery.

"Chocobo butt." It was the only thing that came out of your mouth and you couldn't help but laugh. 

 

"My hair does NOT look like a chocobo's butt!" He yelled pulling his hair out of your hands by leaning away from you. 

 

"I told you!" Noctis laughed out. 

 

"And I told you that it does not!" 

 

"Awe, Prompto, but it's so cute, it's like you have a baby chocobo's butt on your head!" You teased, finding his annoyed expression priceless. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Heading into a tunnel, you were able to smell the pungent scent of factory smoke and fried foods. You must've been close to the city. The tunnel had open archways looking out towards the Disc of Cauthess and all it's glory, the place to which the Archaean was said to be holding the meteorite. You knew it wasn't just a saying or a legend though, you knew all too well that Titan was as a much a real living god as any of the astrals. Leading out of the tunnel is where you saw it, the city of Lestallum. 

 

"Wow!" Prompto exclaimed first.

 

"Nice," Gladio added in second. 

 

"This place is pretty big," a small little gleam passed over Noctis as he observed the site.

 

"This place is definitely lively." You pushed yourself off the seat a bit to get a better look at town before Ignis pulled into the parking lot. 

 

"Haven't enjoyed the city life in a while." Gladio commented, stretching his large up in the air. 

 

"They've even got a cable car!" Prompto pulled out his camera. 

 

"We need to hitch a ride while we're here." You were standing by now, and you couldn't help it. It wasn't the most magnificent city, but it surely was interesting in it's own way. New places were always welcome to you considering you were stuck in Insomnia for years. 

 

"I'd like to see where it leads." Ignis backed the car up into a space almost flawlessly. 

 

"Damn, it's getting hot out here." Noctis bagged out his shirt as he stepped out of the vehicle. He was right, hellfire must've been a resident because this city felt like fire. You were sweating instantly. 

 

"I know, I'm honestly considering nudity at this point." You lifted your shirt, letting your belly air out. 

 

"No complaints here." Gladio smirked and you shook your head. 

 

"Gladio, I'm not nearly drunk enough to accept that invitation." 

 

"We better get to drinking then." He winked. The comment made Noctis groan in disgust and made Ignis sigh. But you, no you just giggled because Gladio was a funny smooth talker. 

 

"Or we could go visit your sister. You know, the less disturbing option." Prompto glided on by, walking towards the steps that lead up towards the city. 

 

"I like Prompto's idea." You giggled as you followed him. 

 

 Walking about, you instantly noticed the smell of spicy food hitting your nostrils. It was amazing and enough to make your mouth water. You were certain if Ignis was to try his hand at cooking these foods, then surely the food would be to die for. Another thing you noticed, that there were pretty much only women who were wearing factory clothing, like the men didn't actually work around here at all. It was strange to you, but nothing you cared to think about any longer as your stomach began grumbling. There were food stands everywhere! Steaming food and inviting sweets were at every corner. Yeah, you were in heaven. 

 

"Can we eat something soon? My stomach will not stop speaking whale until we do so." You cringed as your stomach began to speak for itself.

 

"Are you always hungry?" Noctis asked.

 

"If you didn't realize it by now, you'll never truly understand." You squinted at the prince.

 

"I'm certain we can attain something suitable for your hunger." Ignis searched around a bit, noticing all the food set-ups and such. 

 

 Your mouth watered, "I hope so, I don't want to spend all of my time here eating." 

 

"There's a few tables over there with a guy who looks like he's serving." Gladio pointed over to a man wearing an apron. He was holding a few menus, and even calling out to passing people.

 

You didn't verbally answer, instead you walked over, probably looking like a hungry animal to the server.  He smiled nonetheless and you were able to get seated with the boys and even order all that looked best.

"This place looks really cool." You admitted, looking at the buildings surrounding the area. It looked like you guys were in the heart of town, where most of the people lingered and where most of the food stands were. 

 

"Yeah, not as a big as Insomnia, but still a rustic kind of charm." Prompto was taking pictures as he commented. He was truly a nerd for photograph. Good thing too, the boy took some of the most breath taking photos from which you could remember. 

 

You opened your mouth to say something but you were caught off guard by another headache, this time a little less painful than the previous ones. A series of flashes happened once again this time you were able to see more clearly. It was the meteor and inside you saw her, Lunafreya. She was speaking to Titan.  _What the hell?_

 

"(y/n)?" Noctis called out. You were still in a daze, "(Y/n)," He called a little louder snapping you out of it. 

 

Looking around, you noticed they were all staring at you. "Hm?"

 

"You okay?" He eyed you worryingly. 

 

"Yeah." You rubbed your temples a bit to numb the feeling out. "Just feeling a bit sick. Did Iris ever say where she was staying, Gladio?" You tried changing the subject.

 

He was hesitant to answer but did so anyways. "She's at the Leville, I told her we were catching a bite to eat before we head over." 

 

"Are we staying there tonight also?" You asked, feeling a bit hopeful, you really wanted to sleep in a somewhat nice hotel bed. 

 

"Yeah, we'll be splitting into 3 rooms though." He said, you were able to see that he was letting go of his concern for you.

 

"Yes," Ignis intervened, "Gladio and I will be in one room, Prompto and Noct in another, and if it's alright with you, you'll be sharing a room with Iris." 

 

It wasn't a problem to you at all, in fact, it would be nice to share a room with another girl. "If she's cool with it, I am too." 

 

"I'm sure she'll like you. She doesn't really have a problem with most people." Gladio smiled. It was easy to tell how much he knew about his sister and it was definite that he cared for her. Downright adorable, actually.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"So, that's the Leville? Looks pretty sweet." You commented, eagerly awaiting to lay on the soft beds. 

 

"Yup." Gladio walked forward. You knew he was happy that he was finally able to see his little sister. 

 

"Whoa, did you feel that?" Prompto commented towards the quaking ground. It was the Archaean. 

 

"You mean the earthquake?" Gladio looked unfazed by it. 

 

Noctis was holding his head for a quick second, looking as if he were cringing in pain. "Ah..." He breathed out as he tried shaking off the pain. 

 

"What's wrong?" Ignis asked.

 

His hands dropped to his side. "My head just started throbbing." 

 

"You alright?" Prompto's blue eyes gleamed. 

 

"Yeah," he sighed, "I'm fine." 

 

As everyone was walking ahead into the hotel, you pulled him back for a minute, your fingers gripping onto his arm. "You saw something, didn't you?"

 

His brows furrowed a bit. "I think. I don't know. I think it was just a headache." He walked out of your grasp at the sound of Ignis calling you both. He saw it too, he keeps seeing everything you were and it wasn't a coincidence. Luna was awakening the god for something. 

 

You shook it off for the time being just so you could finally meet the young Iris. Walking into the hotel, you could smell that distinct smell that all hotels had. It was oddly satisfying. Gladio was at the desk checking in for the rest of you guys when you heard smaller footsteps above you all. 

 

"Gladdy!" Iris called out, running to her older brother and embracing him. She was absolutely adorable with her short brown hair and her cute little skirt. Definitely not the person you thought would be a sibling of the pervert behemoth. 

 

"Iris..." He sounded so thankful and happy and your heart just about burst when you saw the look on Gladio's face as he held his younger sister. You couldn't help but smile at how adorable it all was. 

 

She pulled away after a moment to look at the rest of you, she had a smile, one that definitely held pain, but nonetheless a cute smile. "Look at you guys, holding your own out there." She then turned to you and gave you a mall grin. "I'm Iris, you must be (Y/n)."

 

"I am," you greeted back, "and you're little Iris. Noct and Gladio said a lot about you."

 

"They did? I hope they didn't tell you too many bad stories about me." She placed her hands on her hips.

 

"Nah, nothing bad. So, we're roomies then?" You asked, being okay with the situation. 

 

"Mhm." She nodded. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 After bringing all the luggage you guys neededd up to your rooms, you all settled to sitting in Noct and Prompto's room. You were able to meet the adorable Talcot and the kind older man  Jared. After they left for their short visit, that's where the serious talk began. Where the discussion of all that happened continued. 

 

You all were sat down, relaxed but tense at the same time. The whole war wasn't an easy subject to speak about. 

 

"So, Iris," Noct started out, looking away from his folded hands in his lap, "What was it like inside the Crown City?" 

 

"Not pretty. The Citadel took a beating. But a lot of outlying neighborhoods made it in one piece." She said with a small tinge of hope.

 

"The empire had tactical targets in mind." Ignis added in with stress. Their whole idea was to make sure the King and his army was dead and that the crystal and the ring would be placed in their hands. Luckily your hero was there to make at least one of them was safe. 

 

"You know, if there's anything else, you can ask me." She bowed a bit towards Noct. 

 

"Yeah, uh thanks." He said a bit uncomfortably. 

She cleared her throat a bit causing Noct to question her stare. 

"What?"

 

She breathed in. "So...about Lady Lunafreya, I keep hearing she was in town." you felt your heart stop, you forgot she was actually in the city when this all happened. "Apparently she left right away, but at least it means she's okay."

 

"Good to hear," Noct sighed in relief, "Thanks."

 

You smiled. "When I end up meeting with him again, I'll have to thank my hero." They all turned to you. "He said through his messages that he sent our friend Libertus with her out of the city, so she's definitely safe and she's probably waiting in Altissia now for Noct. He gave her the ring and he tried his best to keep the place he learned to call home safe." You couldn't help the tears that were beginning to fall. "I'm so glad she's safe though."

Iris looked to her brother in confusion which you noted. 

 "It's no one. I'm sorry, continue." You stood up to wipe your tears and went to the bathroom to compose yourself. You didn't know talking about it would hurt as much as it did. The shock was wearing off now and everything was becoming real again. You damned the pain you were feeling. This wasn't anything you ever wanted to feel or even have anyone else feel. 

It was going to be a long and painful night of on and off sleep. Wonderful.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Noctis was having a light sleep that night. Every small noise was waking him up, whether it'd be the heat rushing back in to taunt him, or someone making noises outside, or even Prompto shuffling in bed, it woke him up. He sighed knowing something was bothering him, that something was keeping him awake but he didn't know what it was. it was an unkown anxiety and one he couldn't pinpoint. 

 

His senses were able to relax enough for him to catch more sleep. Even if it wasn't very deep, he could at least rest whenver he could. He ended up awaking though, to the sound of what sounded like a door opening. Maybe it came from outside in the hall, so he just let it be. That was until a voice called out to him.

 

"Noct..."

 

"Hm?" He shuffled out of his position a bit opening his eyes to see Iris. She was blatantly tired and even looked a bit nervous. She was holding one of her big stuffed moogles that she would sometimes sleep with and was still wearing her nightwear. "What's wrong? You okay?" He sat up, the blanket that was on top of him fell, revealing his bare chest. 

 

"Yeah," she rubbed her face a bit, "It's (Y/n), she's having a bad dream, I think." Her face was filled with worry.

 

He brushed the hair out of his face, rubbing the tickling sensation out of his from his messy hair. "She'll be okay if you let her sleep."

 

She shook her head. "She was calling out for you, Noct." 

 

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Alright," he swung his legs out of bed, getting out of it altogether. "Wanna wait here till I calm her down? Just so you won't be bothered by the noise?"

 

She nodded sleepily and she sat on his bed. She hugged the moogle close to her and closed her eyes, as if sleep was taking over her very body and mind at that moment. 

He went off to (Y/n)'s room, praying that she wasn't thrashing about or even worse. 

 

Peeking in through the door, he could already hear her crying. He could see how Iris couldn't ignore it. Then he heard it. The small whispers for his name. He felt his heart drop. He walked in, closing the door quietly behind him. She was balled up in the sheets, tears streaming out of her closed sleeping eyes. He walked to her bed and sat down, wondering what he should do. Should he wake her? Should he leave her be? 

He chose to just soothe her. His hand went to her cheek, wiping her tears away, where she leaned into his hand.

 

Her eyes opened, her beautiful (E/c) eyes opened, burning from the pain she was feeling. "Noct?" Her voice cracked, she must've not have remembered her dream. It was probably for the best.

 

She sat up, turning on the lamp beside her. She wiped herr face and looked at her hand in confusion as if she didn't know she was crying. It probaly meant she didn't remember the dream which Noct was thankful for.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"You okay?" His hand grabbed yours.

 

She nodded. "I guess." You peered up at him again only to give him a cute smile. "I don't think I've ever seen your forehead before." You laughed.

 

"What?" He felt where his hair was absent. "Ah, yeah, I just didn't want my hair in my eyes."

 

You leaned forward a bit, brushing the rest of the stray hairs out of his face. "I can see your eyes a hell of a lot better now. So, did you get your blue eyes from your mom." You pointed out. King Regis had soft green eyes and they didn't resemble Noctis much at all.

 

"Uh, yeah, I guess. That's weird that you noticed that."

 

You shrugged. "I have my dad's eyes too. I don't think I look like my mom much. I definitely take on his looks."

 

He laughed. "Guess your dad was a pretty good looking guy to have his daughter looking as good as she does." His sleepy eyes looked you over.

 

"There you are again, flirting with me." You grinned, pinching his cheek a bit.

 

"If we're going to be fair, you started it so many years back when we really started being friends."

 

"I flirt with everyone though. You were just the most fun to mess with." A smirk grew on your face. What was the young prince hinting at?

 

"Why's that?" He laid his forehead against yours, his deep blues piercing through you.

 

"You were always the one who got the most flustered. Instead of making a comment back, you just got really flustered and I guess I just found it cute. I still do." Your hand came up to stroke his cheek just as he did to you earlier. You couldn't help but love the feel of his soft skin beneath your fingertips, how he was clean shaven and baby-faced. It was something you weren't used to and sent small tingles through your skin.

 

"Cute, huh?" He questioned with half lidded eyes, leaning forward. You followed in his movement capturing his lips. You found yourself lacing your fingers into his hair. Your heart was racing as you began feeling a tingling sensation in your lips, causing you to urge forward and deepen the kiss.

  
Noctis responded his own way, pulling you closer to him, creating a rise in heat. Noctis would've continued further if it weren't for the thought of Iris currently sitting in his bed. He pulled away slowly, making sure the contact wasn't broken rashly. 

 

There was an awkward silence between you two as you both reflected over your actions. Noctis was the first to break it, with his voice sounding as uncomfortable as you felt.

 

"I got to check on Iris. She's waiting for me to return." He couldn't keep eye contact with you, which you couldn't blame him for. You didn't say anything, instead you nodded, causing to stand and head back to his room. You sat there almost paralyzed.

 

"Did that seriously just happen?" you spoke to yourself, feeling more shock than remorse. The strange thing was that you didn't feel like it was wrong, it felt more right to kiss him. Touching Noctis didn't trigger any guilt in you and that was the new worry crossing your mind. It was definitely going to be another night of bad sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
After getting Iris settled back into her own room, Noctis couldn't help but lay still in his bed. His heart was racing and his stomach was fluttering. Why was he feeling this? It couldn't be that he loved her, considering their little experience as a couple together, so was it lust or something far more deep? He didn't know, but committing the action just cost him even more sleep. He wasn't going to have a good morning tomorrow, that was for sure.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I always have an excuse, but this time I was out because I was very ill. It was pretty bad considering I had to set up an appointment for it. I have been sick for years, internally I mean and I didn't want to go to the doctor. I advise anyone to go to the doctor if you have suspicions because jeez, this was not fun, in fact, it was hell. Anyways, I'm done complaining. 
> 
> If you guys have any thoughts or concerns for the story leave it in the comments, I'm not easily offended, really, and I'll respond with a level head. I've done it before and it doesn't bother me too much.  
> I write fanfictions almost like they're betas for future stories I'll write that'll be original. It's a tactic I'm beginning to adore.
> 
> This story is going to be way longer than I expected so if you're a fan of that then that's great, you'll have a fun ride, if you like short stories you should probably go to a story more suited for you. I understand both sides, and I don't blame you for leaving or staying. Anyways, I love this community and I love video games a whole hell of a lot. For the people leaving comments and kudos, you guys bring a bright smile to a sick writer's face. :) Everyone who's reading, even if you hate this story, I wish a good life on you.


	10. As Sour As Expired Ebony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were getting uncomfortable thinking about it, but it was all your mind could produce thought on. Of course it didn't help that Noctis was bringing it up either.

You found yourself waking up to the burning heat. The room was so hot now and the sun was brighter than usual. How late did you sleep in? Checking your phone you cringed at the time. It was 1:20 in the afternoon.  _Why the hell did they let me sleep in_ _this late?_

 

 

 

You noticed the room was empty so you felt free enough to stretch in your odd position. You felt like a mess and even had a bit of a headache from sleeping in so long. Your internal clock was screwed. 

 

Finally deciding to sit up, you got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom to brush your teeth. It didn't hit you what happened until you were brushing your back teeth. You kissed Noctis. You choked on your toothbrush and began coughing violently. You knew your face was a different shade. It had to be. You lip locked with the prince of Lucis.  _Maybe it was a dream, it had to be..._

 

"It was not a dream..." You quickly got out of your denial cringing at your actions. You must've been sleep drunk, the type of sleep deprivation that causes you to simulate someone who's been drinking. "I'm in deep shit now." You admitted to yourself as you rinsed your mouth of the leftover toothpaste. 

 

Going out of the room, you headed down to the lobby where you met with the Ignis. He was drinking his daily ebony and was eyeing you curiously. "I hope you slept well enough."

 

"Yeah," you scratched the back of your neck, "I kind of did. Where is everyone?" 

 

"Out and about exploring the town, I came back here to check and see if you were doing alright." 

 

"I'm fine Iggy, but I could go for some late lunch." You admitted. Food was what you lived for.

 

He smiled, oddly enough, "There's a place near the edge of the market that seemed to have delectable food, if you're willing to try it out." 

 

You nodded. "Sounds good to me."

 

After you had eaten you couldn't help but think back to that night. That kiss was haunting you and you didn't know why. 

 

"You seem a bit distant today. Something bothering you?" Ignis asked with concern.

 

You bit your lip. Could you really trust Ignis with this? Or should you just keep this one to yourself? You shook you head. He didn't have to know. "I'm just feeling weird after sleeping in this late."

 

"I see, we were going to wake you but Iris informed us of your troubles. Did you dream of him again?" 

 

"I don't know. I don't even remember the dream." You shoved it off. You didn't want to be in pain so thinking of him was the last thing you needed. "Ignis, I have a question and it's from pure curiosity." 

 

He raised a brow but sat back in his chair waiting to listen. "Go on."

 

You didn't know how you could word it. "Is it wrong to distract yourself from pain? From all that happened? Even if it means moving on to something different?" 

 

"I'm sure if it's with the right context, I see no problem in it. Why do you ask?"

 

"I was just wondering." You knew you had to make it all less suspicious. "I was reading something earlier and it made me feel conflicted. It just dealt with boyfriends and such." 

 

"I see." He sipped at his drink. "I have to ask though, did you slip up and tell Gladio about us?"

 

That caught you off guard. "Pfft, no. He just assumed such." 

 

His brow was raised, he wasn't falling for your bullshit this time. "Oh, really?"

 

You rolled your eyes. "Why was being with me so embarrassing?" 

His gaze shifted to a somewhat hurt one. And you couldn't help question it. 

"What?" You took a sip of your now cold drink.

 

"Being with you wasn't what was embarrassing, it was losing you that was." You felt your stomach drop and your heart ache. Did he truly mean what he said?

How would you respond to such a statement? There was silence from the said words that caused great tension between you and Ignis. 

He finished off his can of ebony before standing up and leaving a tip. "I'll be at the hotel, if you need me." 

 

You didn't move, instead you let the guilt set in. You thought Ignis only had mutual, even friendly feelings towards you. You didn't realize how much he actually cared, but then again, you never once asked. You never questioned him like you questioned Nyx, oddly enough. Sighing, you stood up and decided to just look around the city yourself. You didn't care if you'd be alone, maybe you needed to be after that comment. It was enough to hurt you and to produce guilt that you never thought you'd ever have to feel over the subject.

 

_I should go see the meteor..._ You were having strange visions of Titan, so maybe going to see his destination wouldn't be such a bad idea. Especially since you clearly saw Luna speaking to him. Why was she doing that? _To forge a pact with Titan...Smart..._

From your studies of the Gods, you were able to piece together certain pieces of the puzzle from the legends. 

"You're always a step ahead, Luna..." You spoke to yourself as you made it to the outlook. There, off in the distance you saw the Disc, seeming not too much out of the ordinary. Looking through the stationary binoculars, you saw nothing very different. You weren't able to see Titan, which meant he must've been dormant for the moment. 

 

"(Y/n)?" you heard someone call out. You jumped a bit, turning to the voice. It was Noctis. You found yourself turning back out to face the Disc.

 

"Uh, hey." Your voice cracked a bit. 

 

"You alright?" He asked as if last night didn't happen. 

 

"Mhm." You avoided throwing your gaze at him. You were still bothered by the events of last night. Confronting him was the last thing you wanted to do.

 

He audibly sighed before leaning up against the wall next to you. "It's about last night, isn't it?"

 

You were going to deny it but saw no point. "Yeah." 

 

"Look," he started off, "I was thrown off by it last night too." It was good you weren't just the only one bothered by it but it still didn't help that it actually happened and that things were forever going to be awkward between you two. "I am going to be honest though," you finally faced him, "I don't regret it at all." 

 

 

You gave him a short little smile before turning back to the meteor. You didn't want to make things awkward so you tried your best to find something else to talk about, something that would cause for a discussion, and definitely something to catch Noctis off guard. "What was one of your favorite memories with your dad?"

 

He raised his brow for a second before joining you in your stare into the glowing meteor. "I remember when we made a trip to Tenebrae, where my dad hoped to have me healed."

 

You turned your head to face him. "Healed?"

 

"This was back when I got injured from the monster, Marilith. She injured me bad enough to put me into a coma and even stop my legs from working. I was crippled. My dad did all he could to make sure I would be able to walk again, so, he took me to Tenebrae, where Luna would heal me. I remember him being protective with me and I remember sharing so many laughs." He gave a sad gleam, "I remember they tried feeding me food with vegetables as a base, and I hated it. I don't know how he did it, but he made the food bearable, just by making me laugh. I don't think I'll ever forget that day. I think that's one of my favorite memories with him. That was when we could spend time together, I just wish I took the time to get to know who he truly was." His voice went a little hoarse, as if he were trying to hold his emotions back.

 

Your heart ached for him. He didn't get the chance to befriend his own father in his older years. It was tough on him. "You know," you started off, "I remember back when we perminantly moved to Insomnia, and my dad was pretty pissed about how messed up the war was and how it almost orphaned me, so he took it upon himself to confront Regis. He huffed and puffed at your dad, blaming him for how the war was. I was right beside him, and I didn't know how to feel. I was grieving over the loss of my family and how I only had my dad left to take care of me so I didn't have much thoughts of Regis. Your dad didn't throw us out, but he did listen and when my father was done ranting and blaming, your father walked down those steps and knelt down in front of me. He grabbed my hands and apologized for not being able to do more, and he promised that nothing was going to happen to me or my father. He said we'd be safe and that no harm should come our way so long as we stayed in Insomnia. My heart grew loyal for King Regis and now it grows loyal for his son."

 

Noctis was silent, absorbing in all this new information. You never outwardly spoke of it to anyone but Nyx before, so the Prince was quite shocked to hear you open up to him. "Whatever you find in Altissia, whatever mission you're on, I really do hope you get what you need. It sucks that the war has made this divide of families. I can't imagine what you've been through."

 

You sighed, "Not enough aparently, seeming life keeps throwing shit at me. But hell, who am I to complain, I could've had it worse."

 

"You could've but that doesn't make what did happen any better. When this war is finally over, I can only hope that nothing like it will ever happen again, but wishing that would be pretty dumb."

 

"This isn't my quote, but uh, I'm gonna say it anyway," you paused thinking over the actual line and the circumstances in which it was said. It hit you real hard when hearing it, and it means more to you now than it ever did. "War never changes."

 

"Agreed." He pushed his body off the wall and turned to face the city. "I'm gonna head back to the hotel for a bit, just to rest both my feet and head. You can join if you want."

 

As he walked on back into the lively part of Lestallum, you couldn't help but sit there and wonder about the prince. Unlike most, he was willing to listen to you, and it felt refreshing. You couldn't help but grin, revealing pieces of yourself felt somewhat great. Your eyes fixated back onto the meteor, your original target back in mind. "I'll find what I'm looking for, and so will you Noctis..." With that, you followed the trail the Prince most likely took. _I just gotta keep it all together then, keep quiet until the time's right..._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm back in theater, which means I'll have very little time to work on this story but never fear, I'll write as much as I can and I hope to update weekly, or even every 3 days.  
> Fun fact about me: I actually hate "secret relationship" stories with Noctis. Granted, I only ever read them on wattpad, go figure why I disliked them, but still. They weren't poorly written but they couldn't grasp the concept of how messed up it was to love Noctis while he was engaged to another woman, by his choice or not. I had hoped to find something more realistic, something more thought inducing. Though, my story may not be exactly that, there should be the stance that I'm at least trying to put that thought in. I wanted to read conflict with both the reader and Noctis and in the game, I don't buy the crap that he loved Luna anymore than a friend. Crap. He only loved her as a friend, a childhood friend, someone who helped heal him. But that's also my opinion/speculation. 
> 
> Another thing, I never introduced myself, my writing name is Tessa but my actual name is Paige xD Hi, I know that was dumb but hey, getting to know an author can be fun, I promise.


	11. Reduce the Swelling With Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's through the icy cavern where you mend broken relationships and even make room to spark new ones!  
> After hearing word of a royal tomb residing within a waterfall, you and the gang reach together to conquer and find whatever lies inside. When the royal tomb is found to be true, you couldn't help your eyes wandering over a certain stature placed within. 
> 
>  

"Once I get to Altissia, hopefully things will start cooling down for us..." You spoke to yourself as you walked up the steps leading back to the heart of town. Reassuring yourself was your top priority. The more you thought about everything, the more it almost overwhelmed you.  _I'll get to see my long lost family, I hope, if they're still there..._

While walking, you noticed something strange. The people there, they were friendly and oddly enough waving at you. They were also waving at each other. You found yourself waving back. It was nice, having friendly people at every corner. Nothing like Insomnia and nothing like back at home. In Insomnia, you remembered how busy the people were and how they only paid attention to you if you were someone important. It wasn't strange but comparing it to Lestallum, it just seemed dull and gray. Where Insomnia was a melancholy city, Lestallum was bright and full of smiles. It was nice to say the least.

You made your way back to the hotel but not without being stopped by many of the people and them asking if you were with the Prince.

"Hey," one girl stopped you, "Was that your boyfriend?" She had long brown hair and glowing green eyes. She was somewhat very pretty, even in her work clothes. She looked pretty young, about your age maybe. 

 

"Who? The guy with dark hair?" You questioned wondering if they were talking about Noctis, which they probably were since you were hanging out with him just recently. 

She nodded. 

You looked down a bit. "Ah, no, not really, why?" It felt embarrassing to be thought of as his girlfriend, especially since of that damned kiss. 

 

She grinned, "I was just wondering, is he single?"

 

You felt your eye twitch. "No, he's engaged." Of course you weren't going to lie. 

 

"Oh, he is? To who?" Why did she care, shouldn't she have just stopped after finding out he was engaged? Why would she want to know who? His fangirls were crazy everywhere, even if they didn't know who he was. 

 

You couldn't let them know who his real fiance was so, you felt like now was the time to be a liar. "Me," It was almost in too stern of a voice, "he's not my boyfriend, he's my fiance." You held out the ring Nyx gave you, glad that you decided to wear it today.

 

Her face went red, as she shook her head. "Sorry, I was just curious." She bowed her head to you. At least she had manners. "Have a great day ma'am." 

 

You held in that little snicker within. The girl ended up walking away but there was not without guilt. You lied about being his fiance, of course to someone you didn't know, but still, there was the sense that you lied about it. The thought of Noctis ever being your fiance was disturbing to you. Why would you ever marry him? And how would you ever obtain that chance?  _I'm overthinking again. I just lost Nyx and I'm thinking about an engagement with another man, even if it would never be possible, it's just...wrong..._

 

"Hey, there you are!" Prompto called out to you as you walked into the hotel. Ignis was with him and Talcott and Jared were standing near the front desk, a big smile was planted on his face. Hopefully, which it most likely was, good news was afoot. "Talcott, go on and tell 'em what you told me." 

 

"You got it!" He gave Prompto a finger gun, bringing a slight cheer to your mellowed mood. 

 

"Oh, come now, show some respect." Jared placed a hand on Talcott's shoulder. He was just trying his best to be respectful around Noctis and the rest of you guys. 

 

"Whoa," Prompto held his hands up in defense, "no need to be respectful around me, I'm not royalty." His arms crossed as he smiled, enjoying the idea a bit. It must've been refreshing to be respected as a Royal to Prompto in a way, considering he was just an ordinary child himself among Ignis, Gladio, and especially Noctis. 

 

Talcott nodded at Prompto and turned back to you and Noctis. His hand was at his mouth as he thought about all he needed to say. "So, there's this legend about a sword. And the sword's supposed to be beyond a waterfall nearby."

 

Ignis faced Noctis, his eyes slightly agape. "It may well be one of the lost tombs."

 

"Check it out?" Gladio pitched in, a smirk growing on his face. He loved the idea of tomb raiding or anything that involved being outdoors and exploring and hell, you couldn't blame him.

 

"For sure," Noctis also seemed to like this idea, "Thanks for the tip, Talcott." Noctis held out his hand for Talcott to give him a high-five. 

 

"You're welcome!" He cheered, his large toothy grin appearing. 

 

You ruffled his short brown hair. "Looks like we found a new intel-man." You smiled. 

 

"That's if he's right." Gladio stretched his arms up, heading to the room, probably to get some of his things together for the upcoming trip. 

 

"I'm sure the sword's there," he said with hopeful eyes, "If it isn't sorry." 

 

"I am too." Noctis reassured Talcott. It was cute to see Noctis interact with this kid, but it made you wonder why he seemed close to him. Maybe Noctis sees a lot of himself in Talcott, a lot of the same spirit he had when he was his age. 

 

"Whelp, let's get our butts on the road before it gets dark," You followed in Gladio's lead to pack up your things. Something told you that this trip wasn't going to be a short one. 

 

* * *

 

 

As much as your visions begged for you to visit the comet, you had to stick around in your place by Noctis' side. It was your new task till you reached Altissia. It wasn't one you were going to take lightly either. Losing any of them would hurt you beyond belief, but losing Noctis, someone who you considered to be your best friend, well that would destroy you completely. 

"Thanks again, Talcott." You gleamed at the boy. Ignis was in the driver's seat, ready to ride off at any time. The sun was going to set in a few hours from then and it was his plan to make it out to the waterfall before then. 

 

"You're welcome, (Y/n). I hope you all find the sword!" Talcott waved to you all as Ignis drove you all out.

 

It was a peaceful drive, with the now cooling air hitting your faces as the day reached into night. The smell of nature was hitting you, making you want to breathe it all in before you headed back into the city again. You didn't think your trip was going to be this...eventful but it surely wouldn't of been bad if things turned out right like they were supposed to. 

The car was parked in front of a gas pump that was near an old trailer. Across the street there was a gas station, small but as convenient as they always were. The car was locked and secured and it was now the task of finding the path to the waterfall. Luckily, there was a set of steep steps near the parking area and it led right down to the path. The smell of fresh water hit you and the greenery was bloomed and beautiful.

"It's pretty here." You commented, running your hand through the leafy bush beside the path. 

 

"Yeah," Noctis agreed, "I bet the waterfall will be even prettier." Noctis treading back onto the path, as it sloped down near the bank of the water.  Rocks aligned the bank, making it a natural barrier for you to stay onshore. 

 

Before you knew it, you were able to both hear and see the waterfall and all it's glory. It wasn't the first waterfall you seen but it was surely one of the most beautiful. You had never been that close to one before and being able to feel the water droplets hitting your skin as they did, it truly brought out a new feeling within. "So, you guys really think there's a tomb underneath the waterfall?"

 

"Only one way to find out." Ignis ventured forth, stepped over each patch of hardened land carefully. the rocky area was slick from the waterfall and it was extremely easy to slip if you weren't careful. 

 

"The legend says to look behind the waterfall." Prompto commented as you all made it past the waterfalls curtain. 

 

Ignis peered back at the blond, "What does the waterfall say?"

 

"I think it says, "Come in"." Venturing somewhere without Prompto surely wouldn't be the same and you were real thankful you met the goob. 

The closer you all got, the clearer the waterfall and all underneath became. There looked to be a hollowed area underneath, and when you all reached it, you all were shocked to see that there really was a cave.

"Wouldn't you know it-an entrance!" He corssed his arms looking into the dark void. You smiled and you were certain your eyes were gleaming the same way. This was truly a tale for the books. 

 

"Looks like the legend checks out." Gladio seemed all to happy for this expedition and you couldn't help but comment on it. 

 

"I'm guessing cave-dwelling gets you as excited as most women do." You playfully punched the big guy in the arm.

 

A loud breathy sigh could be heard from Ignis. "Must we make such vulgar jokes when entering a dark cavern?" His sour tone caught you off guard. 

 

"Keep it up, Ignis, and the jokes will be about you." You playfully glared, trying to lighten him up a bit. 

 

"They won't be so much a joke as it would be a painful reminder of the past." You cringed again. He knew you were guilty about it and he was going to press it against you till he felt better. 

 

"Anyways," Gladio intervened, seeing the tension between you two, "We should keep moving." You were thankful Gladio was bold enough to interrupt things. 

 

"Agreed." Ignis added before pushing up his glasses and straightening out his jacket. Your shoulders slumped a bit but you felt touch of confidence when Noctis placed a hand on your shoulder and giving you a reassuring smile. You followed in. 

 

The waterfall had a large hollowed out area underneath but it was the small opening that caught your attention. That was where you had to walk through. Walking in further, you felt a sudden chill run up your spine. It was pretty cold in there, and you regretted only wearing a thin T-shirt today. 

Prompto let out a burred noise. "This place gives me goose bumps." 

 

"That's cause it's freezing." You warmed your bare arms as the chilly air nipped at you. 

 

"Double back for our coats?" Prompto suggested, hoping that was actually what you all were going to do. 

 

"What's the point?" Gladio snazzed by, seeming as if the cold didn't bother him anyway. (Yeah, I did that.) "Little chill won't kill ya." 

 

"Yeah, but it will make it easier for people people to see through your bra." You commented, folding your arms across your chest. 

 

Noctis opened his mouth to say something but closed, opting to just shaking his head. "You really have no filter, do you?"

 

"Hey, I'm being honest, alright. Plus, it makes it a lot less awkward when someone points it out." You shivered a bit, hoping you'd get used to the cold. 

 

Prompto rubbed his hands together as he walked on. "Well, looking at the bright side... Maybe the cold keeps the daemons at bay?"

 

"Yeah, because monsters like warmth." Gladio almost cut him off. 

 

"Ah, sarcasm." Prompto wasn't amused, apparently. "Hmmm.... but what if they're frozen?"

 

"Encased in ice..." Gladio added. "Waiting for something warm to pass by."

 

"And then they jump out!" Prompto yelled out making a small little jump. 

 

"You guys are idiots..." You rubbed your temple but quickly got into the defensive when daemons actually appeared. You sighed. "Why do I even try?"

 

"And there's our warm welcome!" Prompto summoned his guns, and began shooting at the daemons known as flan. Disgusting creatures really, and they didn't smell all too good either. 

 

After beating them down with ease, it was time to move forth. The snowy walls made you paranoid thinking that there would be ice beneath your feet. You seriously didn't want to slip in this frozen hell. It would hurt like sitting on a bunch of tacks. There was a point where the rock ended, and where an icy looking slide was. It was slippery looking as it reflected the light from your chest light. 

 

"Heading down a slippery slope, in slip sliding shoes? What could possibly go wrong?" Prompto questioned, kneeling down to touch the cold surface. His teeth were visibly chattering. 

 

"You know," you thought of a plan, "we could use out weapons to slow our-" You were cut off when Noctis decided to push you down the icy slope, with him right behind you. He was laughing but you on the other hand weren't. You screamed as you slid into an icy nothingness scared you would end up hitting the walls of the cave. You were sliding down much faster than Noctis and eventually you lost sight of him

 

"Whoa!" He yelled out, soon beginning to feel as frightened as you. 

 

It wasn't long before you hit the cold ground of the rocky part of the cave again and you smiled, glad you were able to make it out alive. You stood up but were quickly trampled by the Prince as he slid into you. You groaned as his body once again crushed yours. "You're so not meant to be a top..." You pushed him off of you. You stood up, brushing the snowy dust off of your bottom only to groan when you felt the snow melt. "Wonderful." 

 

The rest of them slid down but had a much better stance than you seeing as they moved out of the way of the sliding slope. Smart of them. Of course, as soon as you all made it to the bottom safely, there had to be daemons appearing before you all. They were Imps. You were pretty much well educated on most of the daemons, seeing as you were told to study them by your father in the past. So, defeating them wasn't much of a trial for you, but it certainly was a drag to do so. 

 

"You things love deep pits!" Noctis called out as he made a strike on one of them.

You wanted so much to make a bad joke, knowing your nature, but withheld the comment knowing it would only cause more feedback from Ignis. You wanted to avoid him for a while, just so you both could cool down from the conversation from earlier. 

 

 After defeating the bastard Imps, you found yourself getting chillier by the moment. "So much for a little chill. I've got an ice cream headache- without the ice cream." Prompto blew into his hands hoping his warm breath would give them feeling again. 

 

"I'm feeling early symptoms of frostbite." It wasn't a complete exaggeration. Your fingers were numbing along with you nose and face. It was becoming scary for you. You didn't expect it to happen but it did anyways, a warm jacket was placed over you and within a matter of moments, you knew exactly who it was. "Ignis? I didn't need yo-"

 

"Having you freeze to death in a cave would be a hassle," his once glaring eyes were softer, and more calm, "keep it for warmth." 

 

You felt your heart beat a little faster, knowing it was from the pain you were feeling but with that pain came an eased emotion within. It meant that Ignis was beginning to let go of his harsh feelings and was now wanting to move forward. That was how Ignis had always done it, he'd be angry at first and even be snarky and silent for a while, but when he was ready to move on, he'd be a lot nicer. Something you admired about it was that he was always so good at letting go and not holding onto the little things between you guys. "Thanks." You said to him sending him a small smile. 

He returned the gesture, but silently walked on. This issue was one less thing for you to worry about, but it did make you learn to watch what you say around Ignis. Even he can hurt sometimes, and it wasn't till today that you realized just how much he was hurting from the ending of your relations with him. Now was the time to let go of all it though and focus on the matter at hand, helping Noctis take back his throne, one royal arm at a time. 

 

The cavern was becoming more of an icy maze at this point, seeing as everything was starting to look the same.

"Noct, if I may...." Ignis started off, looking at his surroundings.

 

"Don't ask." Noctis let his pride take over.

 

Gladio snorted. "Yep we're lost."

 

"Don't answer!" Noctis yelled back with burning cheeks. It was cute how he didn't want to admit they were lost.

 

"Don't know where we came from, don't know where we're goin'." Prompto perked in. 

 

You shook your head. "Next time, we're leaving bread crumbs."

 

Noctis gave you a funny stare before letting his features light up again, "Actually," He walked past you, and summoned his weapon to his hand. He sliced and diced at the iced walls, making a large hatched pattern. "That's how we'll keep from going this way again." 

 

You were surprised he came up with such a good idea, "I'm impressed, Noct. Didn't think you were smart enough to come up with a useful idea like that."

 

"Learned from the best." He complimented, ignoring your slight insult. You smiled taking pride in it. Maybe tutoring him wasn't all for nothing, not that you ever thought otherwise before. 

 

"I really hope we didn't come here for nothing." Prompto grumped out, his lips turning blue a bit. 

 

"I'm gonna have to agree with Blondie on this one." You snuggled more into Ignis' jacket, almost feeling like an ass for having a good source of warmth. 

 

"I'm sure there's something if we look." Gladio didn't sound too sure in it either. As you all walked up another slope, it was almost a group thing to sigh out as you saw it was another icy slip'n'slide. 

 

"Seriously? My ass will freeze off if it touches the ice again." You pouted, knowing the icy ground will only make your butt wet again. The other's were quiet as they went down but you dreaded the idea of sliding again.

 

"Then slide on your stomach," Gladio proposed, jumping down into yet another rabbit hole. 

 

"Here goes nothing." You did as Gladio suggested and slid down on your stomach, Ignis' jacket taking most of the cold punishment, and found it even more terrifying than before. You made it down though, and without a wet butt, which you guessed you could count as a plus. There harsh part was almost breaking your knees in the fall. Rising to your feet, you felt like dying when you saw the spider woman again. She was a species of Arachne, a very unfun daemon, nevertheless. "I'm getting sick of these damn daemons!"

 

"Then kill them if you're so upset!" Gladio was getting sick of your complaining and it was obvious. 

 

You quickly dodged one of the attacks she had aiming for you and summoned your golden sword to your hand. You were not going to be defeated by another spider lady. While throwing a few blows yourself, it was Gladio that threw down the ultimate hit, causing her to stop any movement. "Smashing." Ignis said with a tinge of victory.

 

"I feel as if I'm going to be hearing a lot more puns throughout our journey." You sighed, knowing that puns were so dumb but funny. You weren't sure why they annoyed you but they did. 

 

"Of course, you should've known this from the day you agreed to join us." Ignis smirked, knowing he had you there.

 

"Fair enough, now where the hell is this royal tomb?" You looked around, making an uncomfortable face when you seen the icicles hanging down from the ceiling. "I think I'm starting to feel tired."

 

"Just keep moving, we'll find it, if it's actually down here." Noctis was shivering but he was trying his best not to show it. 

 

"Freezing yet, Prince?" You asked as you searched for the tomb. 

 

"A little, why?" He admitted.

 

"A little? Your tips just got frosted, dude." Prompto laughed, pointing at the Prince's hair.

 

"Really?" He poked at his bangs, "How's it look?"

 

You rolled your eyes. "Like a goob messing with his hair."

 

His shoulders slumped. "You're telling me this doesn't interest you?"

 

You bit the inside of your cheek, feeling the hardened hair tips for yourself. "It's interesting but not when we're dying in a cave."

 

"Which is why we should keep going so that we don't die in this cave." Gladio pushed you forward.

You were watching your step carefully, looking for anymore of the slippery patches you guys seemed to be attracting, but it wasn't a slope that stopped you, it was an icy ledge.  

 

"You know, we could just say there's nothing here and turn back." You offer.

 

"Nope, keep moving Stub." Gladio pressed on. 

 

"If we feel like resting, does this mean we'll all have to cuddle up to each other? Not that I'm complaining, considering you all are a bunch of attractive guys."

 

"Where do you come up with these fantasies of yours?" Noctis raised a brow at you. 

 

You shrugged. "I read a lot, and sometimes I come across a story or two that's not so innocent." 

 

"That's gross." Prompto frowned, letting his innocence take the best of him.

 

You laughed. "It's gross for a girl to read about people having "fun-time" but it's perfectly normal for a guy to look at pictures and watch videos of it?" 

 

He raised his finger up to protest but curled it back into his hand. "Point taken." 

 

"C'mon, we'll rest if it takes any longer than 2 more hours." He ushered you onto the ledge, causing you to press your back up against the wall.  You inched to the other side, carefully making sure you didn't misstep. The other's followed you and Ignis was the last to step on the ledge. 

"Watch your step." Gladio cautioned. 

 

"No more slip ups." Ignis punned in.

 

"I really hope you fall now." You glared back. 

 

"Have acceptance for the puns and you too will make some clever ones of your own." Ignis  tried lodging the thought in.

 

You snorted. "No. I will not give in."

 

"I never used to make puns until I turned 19." Noctis admitted. 

 

"Well, I'm not 19, I'm 21. So, looks as if I'm not going to ever make puns." You were being snooty but it wasn't enough to anger anyone, it was enough to make Ignis chuckle.

 

"We'll see about that." 

 

When it seemed like you guys were finally getting somewhere, it only revealed that there was even more to this horrendous cavern. You could feel your brain throb as you stepped up onto the icy bridge. 

 

"Well," Prompto's frustrations were showing, "This seems perfectly saf-"

 

"Focus on walking." Ignis cut him off, trying to urge him to think more about his safety then complain. 

 

"And look, another ledge of impending death." You pointed out with sarcastic enthusiasm. "These feel as tedious as a dungeon in any game." 

 

"Maybe we are in a game." Prompto conspired. 

 

As funny as some of his antics were, he was finally beginning to annoy you. "Yeah, because life is just a game to you."

 

"I'm freezin'." he shivered placing his back up against the wall, readying himself for the ledge. "What I wouldn't give for a hot bowl of soup, hmmmm soup."

 

"You heard the man, Ignis." Noctis said agreeing with the idea. 

 

"My mom actually taught me this amazing soup recipe." You spoke up. "It tasted amazing from what I remember but I know it has very simple ingredients. I think it might cure your craving Prompto." 

 

"I must hear more about it when we're not in fear of being encased in ice." Ignis said with expressed interest. You couldn't wait to share it with him.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

After more wandering and exploring, and defeating, the tomb was found. And the door was as icy as the rest of the place was but yet, you felt a warming welcome from it. 

 

"Knock knock." Gladio grinned in consultation. 

 

"We're there." Ignis traced the outline of the door feeling the frosty designs beneath his fingertips. "Finally."

 

Noctis pulled out his key and place it into the hole, turning it once again. You didn't pay too much attention to the last tomb so you thought paying attention now would be best. When the doors opened, and when all of the lights shined in, you could help stare in awe at the statues placed around the shrine. they were slightly different than the ones from the last tomb, these ones resembling a different reign. It was a beautiful sight for your eyes to bestow upon, but what caught your attention the most was the statue of her, the Oracle. She was strategically placed so that she would be watching over the king/queen as they laid in eternal rest. It was beautiful. 

 

 _She who has the blood of the oracle_ "Will have the gift of speech with the gods..." 

 

"What was that?" Noctis called over. 

 

You shook your head. "It's nothing, just something I read a while back. About the oracle's bloodline." 

 

"That's an oracle?" He joined you in the trance of the statue. 

 

"Yeah, I think. I kind of just thought so after seeing her placement." 

 

"You're sense of judgement would be correct." Ignis intervened. "In every tomb of the kings, there is an Oracle placed inside. It's been a tradition since the beginning of the line of Lucis." 

 

"Well," You turned to the coffin, "Your Arms await, Prince." 

 

"Right." He nodded as he walked to his ancestor. You saw by the look in his eyes, that he too was mesmerized by his families' old tombs. The way he looked at the carved out stone made you realize he wasn't just some kid looking at an artifact, he's a guy looking at his history, the ancestors who made everything in the modern world possible. It was like he was reaching into his inner self, and seeing part of his soul in a weird sense. It was like he grew a little more mature as he looked upon their lifeless carve-outs. He held up his hand, above the weapon in the coffin's hands, and you watched as it went into his possession. The power of the King's will be something that would end up fascinating you for the rest of your life. 

 

You watched as he exhaled, as if a new essence was inside of him now. Well, it was a part of a past king, but the point still stands. You were about to make a comment on how cool and ominous it all was until it struck you. The vision of the disk, this time becoming more painful than ever. You weren't the only one experiencing it either, Noctis was feeling it too. Once the fit was over, you found yourself locking eyes with each other. 

 

"Noct, (Y/n)! You guys okay?" Gladio grabbed onto you weakened body and Prompto did the same to Noctis. 

 

"What did I...?" He breathed out in pain. 

 

"You saw it too?" You brought yourself up, finding strength again. 

 

"Where was that?" He asked himself.

 

"What is that?" Gladio asked concerned himself.

 

"A hole in the ground. Something burning. The meteor?" He put together. 

 

"You saw the Disk of Cauthess?" Ignis sounded shocked, more than shocked, he sounded almost horrified. 

 

"Yes, and so did I. I was actually going to request we make a trip down there after all of this." You confessed. 

 

"Curious," Ignis placed a finger underneath his chin. "How is it that both you and Noctis were having these visions, but the rest of us aren't." 

 

"Believe me, I don't even have an answer myself. Honestly, if I did, I would tell you." You pulled his jacket tighter around you as you started feeling numbingly cold again. "Now, can we continue this when we're back outside? I think my lips are close to turning blue..."

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 When coming back out, you were surprised to find the night had turned to day and it was now morning. "We were up all night? Are you kidding me?" Your arms drooped. 

 

"Well, it gives us a good reason to sleep in the trailer for the day." Noctis yawned, ready for a good night's rest in the day.

 

"We need to get back to Lestallum as soon as possible." Gladio urged. 

 

"I'm pretty sure making Iggy drive with the amount of sleep he got is a pretty bad idea, just saying." Prompto argued back, but it was a good enough argument to persuade the large man and even Ignis as well.

 

"Don't worry, Big Guy, we'll head out tomorrow morning after we make sure we've rested up and such. We need a long rest after the hell we went through." You strolled forward, not caring if he had anything else to say. You were too tired, and your body was confused after being excruciatingly hot and being body numbing cold. You even sheaded Ignis' jacket and threw it back to him on the way back. 

 

It wasn't the worst walk back up but it wasn't a welcomed one either. Aside from already dying from the cavern, you all had to dodge and hide away from enemies that were stationed outside the waterfall. When you guys did make it to the trailer, you plotted down on any surface you could all find. It turn, you and someone else chose the bed to sleep on, but you didn't care to take notice of who it was. It was so soft to your exhausted body and you could feel yourself instantly falling asleep. It was nice feeling this tired again, an almost addicting feeling to have at night, except this was during the day. Usually having any source of light would kill your mood for sleep but not today, it was just about getting to close your eyes and relaxing. 

 

You had a peaceful dream this time, one of your family and the look of happiness on all of your faces. And there was Nyx also with his little sister. He seemed joyful, and that was all you ever wanted for him. It didn't make you as sad seeing him, it made you feel warm and comfortable. That was how it should feel when you think of him, not pain and misery. Death naturally makes people think that way, though. It makes you hurt for the loss, and it makes you believe that you'll never be able to see their smiling faces again, that you'll never be able to feel their touch, or hear their beautiful voice calling for you. Some see death as beauty while other's see it as cruel. Another way to leave you lonely in this heartless world. For some it's a way out while for other's it's a way to lose contact with the people you care about most. And the worst of it all was knowing that with making more and more friends, you'd have to experience this pain over and over again, and sometimes you even wonder if it's worth it. 

 

 

It was dark, and you could barely see around you. You slept till nightfall, and the only light outside now, was the streetlights. You were the only one awake though, but that didn't bother you.The only things that were visible were the thing being illuminated by the streaks of light peeking through the blinds. One of the things it illuminated was a face, and one you knew too well. You smiled as you watched the raven sleep. He looked so peaceful and quiet, as he usually is but this time you knew that he was sleeping with peace.

From what you could inquire, Noctis was quietly suffering over the loss of his dad. He was the only family he had. Something you related to on a whole different level. You placed a hand in the prince's hair, smoothing it out a bit as he slept calmly and quietly. Who would've thought that you'd be sharing a bed with him, but it wasn't for any other purpose than sleeping. It was the same as sleeping with any of the other guys, you were certain. It wouldn't have made any difference, well maybe with Ignis. Still, you didn't see why being around Noctis would make you uncomfortable, other than the fact you two shared a somewhat intimate kiss.

You hated to admit it but, the kiss was something you secretly enjoyed. It made you feel....tingly. Something you never experienced before even when you shared your first kiss with Ignis, so many years ago. Even Nyx didn't give you those tingles. It made you feel guilty but you couldn't lie about it forever. The matter still stood, that you weren't allowed to feel anything for that kiss other than regret. But it was a hard feeling to produce when it came to the prince. 

Sighing out, you leaned over to give the prince a kiss on the forehead.  _Turns out you're actually causing me trouble now than you ever were before. Funny how that became._

Memories flooded back in of his tutoring days, and how he was so well-behaved. Now that he was an adult, it seemed he was giving you trouble without even trying. What did that mean really? Did it mean you had secret feelings for the Prince after all these years? Or was it because you were trying to find Nyx in another person? Now the overthinking has begun but you weren't tired so it wasn't too bad. The thoughts still remained though, and they weren't very nice ones to think about. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found out my problem with most Reader Inserts. The characters never act their age. They act like children because, truthfully, they are written by teens or even kids. It's not a bad thing, it's just that I don't relate on a kid or teen level, I'm an adult and I can't help but want to find a character with a grown up mindset. Not everyone is the same, I know, but the character has to at least have some growth to them. I don't like the characters who do nothing for themselves and rely solely on others for the entire story. Starting off like that is great, because then you can make your character grow, but keeping them consistently annoying like that is a pain. Especially with Reader Inserts for a lot of FFXV fanfictions. Noctis is a character who grows a whole lot during the story, hell they all do. Having a blank sheet annoys me because the character reflects nothing that the game offered. 
> 
> My rants over but I have advice for anyone who bother's reading the notes, which I don't blame those who don't:  
> Strive to be the sun, not the moon. The moon only reflects the grandness, the light from that which the sun produces. The moon would not be as pretty as it was if it weren't for the Sun. Be the one who shines for themselves.


	12. Rhymes of a Dormant Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your eyes catch a piece of art of someone who's been haunting your thoughts, a being more so.  
> Just as you thought the trip to see the meteor would be an easy task, life has chosen to prove you wrong as you all get sidetracked by a mysterious man. who introduces himself as Ardyn.

After brushing your teeth and sneaking in a quick shower into your morning routine, you found yourself heading out to the gas station to grab a few snacks to replace breakfast. The only other person who was awake with you that early in the morning was Ignis but he was in a quiet mood. It was like when you woke up and you just didn't feel like speaking, mainly because your brain was still in sleep mode. That, and for how long you all slept, it was hard to get back into the habit of socializing again. 

Before making it across the street, you noticed a dark blue, somewhat rusted truck pulled into the parking lot next to the store. It didn't affect you much so you continued on your walk. Walking through the doors, you heard a satisfying ring from the door from the bells placed there to notify the workers of any oncoming customers. 

 

"Morning, Ma'am." The cashier greeted you. 

 

"Morning." You returned the gesture, not wanting an awkward silence. You headed straight to the muffins to grab a few to bring back to the boys and even decided on buying a case of Ebony for Ignis. Making it to the counter, you paid for everything in your arms, and left the store without another word. The truck that pulled up earlier was being unloaded by a woman who was in her middle ages. She looked as if she had a bunch of "junk" in the bed of the truck and she was setting them up as if she was going to sell something from it. 

 

"Hey," She called out to you, "Little Lady, wanna take a quick look at all the stuff I'm selling?" She did seem to have a welcoming demeanor, so she couldn't be all bad. Plus, if she were up to anything fishy, then you'd take it upon yourself to kick her ass. 

 

You shrugged before nodding, letting the bagged goods fall onto your wrist. She was silent as you looked over all the "goods" she carried. A lot of it was art and beautiful art for that matter. There was one piece that caught your eye though, one that felt all too familiar. 

 

                                

 

"How much is this one?" You picked up the small painting, noticing it wasn't any bigger than a piece of paper. 

 

"That one?" She looked over it the same. "It's 40 gil. She catch your eye a bit?" 

 

You nodded, eyes fixated on the line work. "What's the story behind this one?"

 

"Well," she started off, trying to catch the memory, "If I remember correctly, it was painted by some old woman, whom they call a witch. She's harmless though really, only making potions and occasionally making great art pieces. She told me the history behind the idea of the picture too."

 

"She did, did she?" You reached into your pocket grabbing out the desired amount of gil needed to give to the woman 

 

She nodded taking your money. "Yeah, _Etro's Resurrection_ was the painting's name if I remember correctly. She said that she was supposed to be the goddess of death, who lies in a deep slumber, waiting for the moment to strike. Whatever the hell that means."

 

_She lies still in her icy dead slumber,_

_Waiting for the lost souls, to take them as plunder._

_Till then, she remains, eyes closed and far, deep under._

_She will keep in the dark, holding for one soul to awaken her with life's thunder._

 An old poem you read back when books were your only friend. That was the one that stuck with you.

 

"She's just a legend," You said blankly, "but this picture is really gorgeous. Thank you." You turned around, your eyes glued to the artwork in front of you. 

_This depiction is much more different from the one in the Citadel. And that name for it too.... **Etro's Resurrection**.... _

What struck you the most about the picture was how the painter included a rapier as her chosen weapon. 

 

You put your thoughts of the painting away as soon as you made it back to the car. You placed the painting in with your things and headed into the trailer, to serve everyone a morning snack. You stayed silent though, for the rest of that morning. It was just one of those days where you wanted to be left alone in thought. You were having a lot of those days recently. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Gladio," Noctis leaned forward to get a better look at Gladio. "You did remember to tell your sister we were coming back a little later than expected right?" 

 

"Hm?"He looked at the Prince questionably but leaned back into his seat in defeat, "Shit....my phone died on me last night so I forgot to when it got charged." 

 

"Nice." You added sarcastically. 

 

"She blew my phone up!" Noctis leaned over you to show Gladio the numerous texts and calls his sister left him.

 

"Hey Noct," you called out to him while suffocating in his shirt, "would it be too much to ask if you let me breathe?" He jerked back into his seat apologizing awkwardly. 

 

"Sorry." 

 

"Gladio, call your sister, and tell her what happened. You probably scared the girl to death." You chastised. He sighed before pulling out his phone and calling his sister. On the other line, yells could be heard from the worried girl as she too scolded her older brother. It made you internally laugh at the way he took the scolding from her. He looked defeated and defenseless. It seemed the only person who could bring him to that point would be his adorable little sister. 

 

"So, how'd the talk with Iris go?" Prompto asked after his phone call, a smirk growing on his pale face. 

 

"She's not pleased." He closed his eyes, trying to regain his lost pride. A little girl in a skirt managed to make a guy think about his mistakes and actions. 

 

"She's only doing it cause she loves you." You elbowed him. "I honestly envy you guys, having a sibling to care for and all."

 

"It's a lot more work than you know." 

 

"I'm sure." It was cute how that broke you out of your silence. 

 

"Well, we should be arriving in Lestallum shortly." Ignis peered back through the mirror. You knew once you got to Lestallum, it would be the time to create a plan for going to see the meteor. It wasn't a coincidence that both you and Noct both had those visions. So it must've meant that something at the meteor was calling you. You of course had a good feeling why, considering you saw Luna there but it wasn't going to be easy to explain to Noctis or anyone else in the group. They would probably ask too many questions and that was something you didn't want to risk. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

As Ignis parked the car you felt a sinking feeling in your stomach as if something dark was lurking in the city. You couldn't really pinpoint it but you knew you shouldn't let your guard down about these types of things. This was the same feeling you got when you left Insomnia, and it wasn't just a coincidence. 

 

"We should hit the shop to make sure we restock." Gladio stretched up. 

 

"Yeah! Let's stock up on everything!" Prompto chimed as he climbed out of the car. 

 

"We'll make room leaving you behind..." Ignis grumbled. Prompto must not have heard him because he was still off in his own world. 

 

Your jaw dropped. "Iggy!" 

 

"What?" He played innocent.

 

You tried holding in your devious laugh. "I truly did forgot how mean you were." 

 

"You learn to ignore it." Noctis added, sliding out of the car.

 

"I can't deny how great that was though." It was such a comment that made you forget there were other matters at hand. You were really glad you got stuck with these guys. 

 

Walking to the hotel, there were even more unusual amounts of trash discarded onto the ground, as if the city stayed up for a night partying. It was a lively city and the people were probably so friendly because they were beyond drunk, but it wasn't so bad. It was just how people wanted to live. They wanted to live carefree but with some responsibility. How could you hate anyone for wanting that? 

Making it back to the hotel you found your mind traveling back to the group as Prompto made a somewhat discouraged sound. 

"That's no good." He looks down at his shoe.

 

"What's that?" Ignis raises a brow. 

 

"I stepped in something and now my shoe's all...sticky." 

 

It was more than likely vomit but you weren't going to break it to him. "Just run your shoe through some water when you get a chance." You placed a hand on his shoulder, surpassing him on the walk to the hotel. This city was partying, but for what, you didn't know. 

Waiting inside was Talcott and Jared, as if they were expecting you guys on the dot. As soon as Talcott noticed you all, it brought a smile to his little face.

 

"Prince Noctis!" he waved, "Welcome back!" 

 

"Your story came to a happy end." Ignis said with an upbeat tone.

 

Jared chuckled. "Well, well!" 

 

"We owe you, Talcott." Noctis grinned almost exhaustedly.

 

"You're welcome!" The kid was too happy to help.

 

"You guys wanna drop by a vendor for some food? Those muffins may be wearing off by now." You suggested, feeling your stomach grumble and the rest of your energy was being sweated out due to the excruciating heat. 

 

"Sounds like a good idea." Gladio agreed sounding even more worn than usual. 

 

Noctis nodded. "Yeah, sounds good. Talcott, Jared, wanna tag along?" 

 

"As kind as the offer is, we just got done eating ourselves. You all go out and enjoy yourselves." Jared declined with a sweet smile. The old man was just adorable. 

 

"Hey, what about Iris?" You brought up, remembering that she was the one who was supposed to be waiting for you all. It made you somewhat worried.

 

"She said she was getting a tour of the factory today, so she may be a little late in meeting up with us." The Behemoth explained.  

_Could've told us earlier...._

 

You heard your stomach talk in it's own whale-like language when you decided enough was enough.. "I guess there's no use in waiting, let's go get some grub." You speed-walked out of the Leville, the boys following you. You were the craziest about food and the boys knew it. 

 

"Who even uses that word anymore?" Prompto teased. 

 

"Me, cause I'm old fashioned, get used to it." You pointed to yourself as you turned back to face the blond. "Grub does sound disgusting now that I think about it." 

 

"Hey guys! You're back!" Iris yelled out running to you all with glee. You whipped your head in her direction and found it pleasant to see her smiling face. 

 

"Hey, what's up?" You called out, flashing her one of your famous gleams.

 

"Gehh!" Noctis yelled out in pain feeling another wave of the headache. He brought his hand up to his head, not even sure if he was able to feel anything else in his body. 

 

"Noct?" You turned back for him, rushing a bit to his side. 

 

"Not again..." He griped, leaning into you for support. They were getting worse. 

 

Iris' brown orbs widened. "What's the mater?" She was at his side too in a matter of moments. "You alright?"

 

Gladio cut between and placed a hand on Noct's shoulder. With his hand out, he tried telling his sister that Noctis was alright. "He'll be fine. Don't worry."

He looked towards the rest of you. "We oughta take a closer look at this so called 'Disc'." 

 

"Then look no further than the outlook." Prompto took a jab at brightening the atmosphere, probably to make Iris think everything was fine. "We can use the viewer things!"

 

"Stationary binoculars?" You corrected.

 

"Yeah those things!" Prompto gave you a thumbs up. It was pretty funny how know one really knew what they were actually called. You only knew what they were called due to your bored curiosity searches on the internet.

 

"No substitute for being on site, but it would be a start." Ignis placed a hand on his hip. "Let's see what we can glean of Noct's condition."

 

"Not to sound like an ass or anything, but what do you expect to see through the viewers?" You awaited an answer but nothing came by. "Let's just drive down to the site, there's no harm in going."

 

Ignis shook his head. "The empire had closed off the site. I heard about it the other day. All the broadcasters spoke of the blockade." 

 

You furrowed your brows. "The Empire didn't stop you all from taking down the road barrier from before."

 

"We also had help from Cor the Immortal." Prompto eased in.

 

"Hey, we'll take a look through the binoculars first then we'll go down and kick some imperial ass, alright?" Gladio suggested.

 

You sighed. It wasn't like you already tried it or anything. "Fine. I have a bad feeling about it though." It wasn't a lie though, you really didn't feel right going to the binoculars again. Something about going anywhere near that area spooked you.

 

"Looking won't hurt us, take it easy, Stub." Gladio patted your back. 

 

Something wasn't settling right again, but there was no use fighting it. You just knew that something was going to happen. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"See," Gladio pointed out to the viewers, "Nothing wrong." There were people bustling about, taking their turns looking through the viewers. The quakes and wavers made them curious enough to search through and see if they could spot Titan. Amazing how so many believed a legend, but you didn't have a problem with that, you knew it wasn't just a legend to begin with. 

 

"For now." You corrected as your eyes looked out over the canyon-like divide that separated Lestallum from the meteor. 

 

"Let's just get this over with." Noctis grouched, as if his headache was still bothering him. You oddly enough didn't experience the same headache, but the same thing happened when you were at the chocobo ranch and Noctis didn't feel a thing.

 

You walked down the steps, but it wasn't long before the feeling hit you again. That sickening anxiety that filled you before. It was like you meeting a darker mass, greeting the void of bad energy. With simple explaining, it was like you were meeting the creator of darkness. It made you feel sick to your stomach, almost to the point of vomiting, but you sucked the feeling down and took deep breathes. 

Seeing as one of the last viewers were taken, you perched up to the one that was next to it. That didn't stop the stranger from walking your way though. He seemed familiar, and he didn't have a good feel to him. 

 

"What a coincidence," He started off with his oily voice dripping upon your ears. 

_Who the hell..._

 

"I'm not so sure it is." Gladio stepped forth, as if he were shielding you all from the stranger. 

 

His red hair stood out from his dark and grayed clothing. The way it whisped around from the slight wind made you uneasy, everything about this man made you uncomfortable, especially his amber eyes, that seemed to glow like embers. "Aren't nursery rhymes curious things?" He was much taller than you expected but he wasn't as tall as Gladio which comforted you in a weird way. 

 

"Riddles are too," You spit out, not enjoying this man's company at all. 

 

He held up to hand, ready to recite a dark little poem.

"Like this one: 

_From the deep, the Archaean calls..._

_Yet on deaf ears, the gods' tongue falls,_

_The King made to kneel, in pain, he crawls."_

 

"So how do we keep him on his feet?" Prompto pleaded.

 

He walked past you all, pacing in his own words. The stranger smirked, "You need only head his call. Visit the Archaean and hear his plea." He turned to face you all, "I can take you."

 

"Hell no." You looked to Noct, hoping he had the same answer. 

 

"I don't know." He responded still recovering a bit.

 

"Are you seriously considering his offer? He's a creep, obviously." You didn't care if he heard you or not. 

 

"You're overreacting again." Gladio glared at you but you shoved it off. The Big Guy didn't intimidate you.

 

"Am I?" You sparked your attitude tilting your head up to him.

 

"Hey," Prompto caught your guys' attention, "We take a ride..." he made sure you all were paying attention to him.

 

"...We watch our backs." Gladio finished. 

 

"Fair enough." Ignis gave in, his frown was almost as big as yours. 

 

"Hold up." You spoke a little more quietly. "Guys, I'm telling you, we can't trust him." You felt like crying, and not like a toddler not getting what you wanted but like someone who was having a serious panic attack. 

 

Gladio held up his fist. "We don't have to, we'll take him on if he does anything funny." He was trying, you could give him that much. 

 

You stared at him for a moment, frowning. "I have to tell you guys something." You had to make sure they knew why you weren't okay with this. "The day Insomnia fell, I had this feeling, this sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. It bothered me so much, I started getting anxious, and let me tell you, I'm feeling it right now with Mister "Possible Villain" over here." 

 

"(Y/n)," Noct called out to you calmly, "We'll be fine. I promise." There he went on again with promises, something you became weak to by now. You believed the prince you believed he wouldn't break his promise, and considering all that happened, you were putting a whole lot of faith into him. 

 

"Fine." You let out in defeat. "We'll go with him." 

 

"Let's do it then," He sent you a smile to ease you and it worked to an extent. 

 

The stranger grinned. "I'm not one to stand on ceremony, but such an occasion calls for an introduction." He was now heading back to the parking lot. "Please, call me 'Ardyn'." 

_Ardyn? Where did that name sound familiar?_

"Come with me to the car park. That's where I left my automobile." 

He spoke in a very odd manner and his accent certainly hinted that he did not come from Lucis, unless he was a special case, but in any matter, there was something off about him.

"She's a dear old thing," He continued on, "Pales next to your Regalia, but she's never let me down. So we take two vehicles- a convoy of sorts. Shall we?" 

 

_If he slips up, I'm not going to think twice about his death._ It was a dark thought but not as dark as the blackness surrounding him. His aura was corrupt and disgustingly distinguishable from everyone else's. Something you weren't allowing your guard to go down on. 

 

"Sounds reasonable." Ignis was still suspicious but maybe not as suspicious as you. 

 

Ardyn had such a bounce to his step, as if he had a higher status at his heals. There was something he wasn't letting out but you knew by asking he'd slip around the question. Noctis had his eyes fixated on the older man, seeing if there was anything he could pick off, just like you were doing. It was a silent walk, otherwise, up until you all reached what you believed to be his car. A red type of color, suitable for Ardyn of course, with a white strip going down the center. It wasn't scratched or beat up like most of the car in Lestallum and the man surely knew how to park unlike the possible drunkards that parked their cars on the sidewalk. 

 

"Allow me to do the honor of assigning your driver..." He glanced upon you all, as if the driver truly mattered, "I choose you!" He pointed to Noctis. 

 

"Fine by me." Noctis answered simply. He didn't see any trickery in it and neither did you. It wasn't too odd Ardyn wanted to take separate vehicles, considering you were in the group too, but it just felt odd for some reason. 

 

"You drive your car, and I drive mine." He clarified, as if he wanted to make sure everything was clear to us, that or he thought you all were morns who couldn't speak normally. "With that decided, let us be off." It was like he was speaking to you all as if you were children. It was insulting. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"I hope we didn't sign away our lives by doing this." You fretted on, feeling the anxiety increase. 

 

Noctis' frown grew as he agreed, driving the car up to meet with Ardyn's. Your cold hands gripped onto the hem of your shirt as you desperately tried getting your mind off of it. It was no use though, this trip was beginning to pain you. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The picture added is one of mine. It's a filtered version of a painting I did in real life and is now on my shelf. The original doesn't look as amazing as the filtered version but I don't care so much, plus scanning and taking a picture of the painting made it look so bad so I decided to tweak it....a lot. 
> 
> The point still stands though, I think I'm gonna add some more art to these chapters, like outfits the reader is wearing and Etc, except I'll make those digitally. I'll only do it though if people want me to. I only added this in because I was bored one night and had an interesting idea to put down.
> 
> And can we point out how much Ignis is an asshole? xD I can't believe some of the things he says and gets away with, it's great, this is why he's my favorite character.


	13. Intoxication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were stressed beyond belief, tensing at every word, phrase, or motion towards this "Ardyn". Thank the Goddess that night would make things much more calm.

"I have to ask," You started off, "How the hell do you guys know Ardyn?" 

 

"We ran into him at Galdin Quay," Ignis informed, "he was the one that informed us that the ports were closed."

 

"He even knew who we were." Prompto added to the fear.

 

"It doesn't shock me as much as it should, but still." You felt a chill run up your spine. 

 

"First to Galdin and then Lestallum," Prompto continued on, "What a coincidence, huh?"

 

"Way too convenient to be a coincidence." You couldn't agree more with the big guy. "My reckin is he's following us around." 

 

"Until what end? that question bothers me deeply as does his origin." It seemed your frustrations were rubbing off onto the other guys, especially Ignis, that or they were hiding it until now.

 

"Hard for me to picture that guy and the Empire." 

 

"Not for me, he screams Empire to me." You grumbled, piecing everything together, or at least trying. You were too bothered by his presence that you couldn't think straight, like something dark was clouding your head. 

 

"It's even harder to imagine him as a Lucian." Gladio almost cringed, as if he didn't want to picture the bastard as a Lucian, as if it would taint the Lucis name or something. 

 

"I'd sooner not rely on him." Ignis spoke freely. 

 

"Then we shouldn't!" You almost screeched. It wasn't like you were against this idea or anything. 

 

"But he may be our only way into the Disc of Cauthess." Prompto pointed out.

 

"Drop it," Gladio turned to you, making sure you wouldn't say anything next. "What's his Highness' opinion of this  _Ardyn_?"

 

"Don't really have one-" Noctis sighed, "He's nothing more than a creepy old dude to me." 

 

"Creepy is certainly a term I can back up." You huffed out.

 

Prompto chuckled a bit. "You hit the nail on the head right there." 

 

"Well, that's why we came up with a plan." Gladio couldn't help but smirk, maybe it was to boost the confidence, but it worked to extent with you. 

 

"Gotta watch our backs the whole way." Noctis gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, as if he were more tense than you were. 

 

_Just breathe, take a step back and look at everything..._ You were trying your best to calm yourself so you didn't annoy anyone further. You couldn't help it though, your hands were ice cold as adrenaline pumped through you. Your heart was racing so fast you felt the jitters. Risky situations always made you this way, making it hard to step any further into conflict.

 

"Noct," Ignis broke the silence, "How are the headaches?" You felt your heart stop. If he were to have another bad headache while driving the car, he'd surely lead you all into a ditch or crash site. 

 

"Fine for now, but they come without warning." That made you feel so much better...not.

 

"Wouldn't wanna have one behind the wheel," Gladio didn't help the fear either. 

 

"Stop if you need to, alright?" Prompto placed a hand on Noct's shoulder, making it apparent he was just as frightened as you were. 

 

"So any havens along the way?" Gladio changed the subject.

 

"Oh, so somebody wants to camp." Prompto sounded against the idea.  "Somebody else wants a proper bed." 

 

"Nice firm ground is much better for your back." He tapped the back of Prompto's seat. Beyond the conversation, Ardyn was parking into a gas station, causing your suspicions to rise higher than they were before. 

 

Noct pulled into the same lot, parking the car and giving Ardyn the stink eye. "Let's say we call it a day here?" Ardyn proposed. 

 

"Let's say we continue onto Cauthess." Gladio mocked, getting out of the car. 

 

Ardyn faked a frown, "The Archaean's not going anywhere." 

 

"Neither are we under your stewardship." Ignis slammed the car door shut after you. 

 

"So, we make camp, with  **Ardyn**." Prompto crossed his arms. 

 

"Hell no," Noctis took the words right out of your mouth. 

 

Gladio sighed, "Might as well get the tent up." He headed for the trunk as Ignis went to go unlock it. 

 

"Oh, I'm afraid I've never really been one for the outdoors." Ardyn spoke out, "I shall split the bill, so let us stay at the caravan over yonder," He pointed behind him, at the trailer who's seen better days. 

 

"Guess we're staying with creeper, here." you sucked in your feelings and agreed for the group. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It was dark out now, and you were just coming back from the shop with extra snacks and food. You were going to place them into the trailer but you were stopped by someone bumping into you.

 

"Oh, my deepest apologies," Ardyn bowed, making you want to gag on the air. 

 

"It was a bump in person, not a spill on highness' shoes, stop bowing to me." You rolled your eyes as he stood up. 

 

"But you aren't royalty?" That line threw you off, "Surely someone as well educated and built as you are would have some royal blood in your line." 

 

"I'm not anything royal, I'm just a friend of the Prince." You pushed past him, making it into the trailer to set down the snacks and such. The man sent a strange feeling through you, using those choice of words. What kind of indication would he get that Noct's friends are royal? You decided not to hold onto that thought anymore and decided on trying to relax yourself a bit. You were too tense, snapping at everything man was saying.

 

"Oh but of course, I hope in time I will be able to make amends with you." His amber eyes flashed dangerously at you. 

 

"If you want to 'make amends', you'd leave." You hissed out.

 

"So courageous and bold. Best keep that side locked up when you head to Altissia." He walked off leaving you wide-eyed and even a bit shaken. 

 

_How did he...? What does he even know about your trip?_ "By Etro, I'm drinking tonight..." 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It was late, probably midnight at this point, and everyone was fast asleep, at least almost everyone. You were the one dumbass who chose to stay awake and drink away your anxiety. Smart move. You were lucky enough to have an insomniac friend awake along with you. (No pun intended) And it was Noctis who easily spot your atop the trailer.

 

"Thirsty?" You held the bottle out to Noctis who joined you on top of the trailer. 

 

 He shrugged before taking the bottle out of your hands and taking a swig. His face twisted a bit at the strong alcohol rushing down his throat. "Jeez," he wiped his mouth, "you're really taking this all hard, aren't you?"

 

 

 

 

"Yeah," you took the bottle back downing more of its toxic liquid. "He made me resort to drinking. I'm just glad I'm not going to be the one driving tomorrow, this is my 5th drink." You giggled.

 

"We'll be fine if we keep an eye on him." Noctis leaned back onto his hands.

 

"That's true, but I'm not going to let my guard down until we're away from him." You drank the rest of the bottle's contents, setting it down beside you. It clinked a little loudly from its hollowed base, making you internally flinch.  

There was a silence between you both as 

 

"Hold your hand out." He requested.

 

"Um, why?" You blinked.

 

"Just do it." He sighed. 

 

"Alright, alright." You held your hand out to him, "Better not be anything gross." 

 

He rolled his eyes at you before slipping you a smile. Into your palm he dropped a cold chain, at the end of it was something you hadn't seen in years. "A sylleblossom?" 

 

"Yeah, they hold a lot of meaning to me and I thought you should have this necklace. A street vendor sold it to me in Lestallum and I've been trying to find a way to give it to you without the guys being weird about it." He fidgeted with his glove, rubbing at its leather.  

 

You stared at the blue charm in your hand, moving it around to look at the reflecting light. It was gorgeous, and something you definitely were okay with having. "It's amazing." You put it around your neck clasping it together. The cold charm chilled you as it settled around your neck, but he necklace made up for it with it symbolic meaning and its personal one. "This means more than you know." You told him honestly, in your slightly drunken stoop. 

 

 

"I'm glad, I wasn't sure how you'd feel." He smiled in relief. 

 

"I wouldn't have gotten offended, if that's what you meant. It wasn't like you were giving it to me as a girlfriend, so I'm cool with it." You smiled tiredly. 

 

"Can I be honest with you?" He asked causing you to glance at him. You gave him a simple nod before he continued. "I'm having second thoughts about Luna."

 

"What?" That threw you off, "why?" You were on the verge of slurring now.

 

"Well, I just don't think I'll be able to go through with the marriage when we meet again." He leaned forward pulling his knee to his chest.

 

You leaned forward too. This time trying to get a better look at his face. "Noct, I hate to break it to ya, but you don't have a choice. You'll love her, she's just a doll." You tried cheering him up feeling even more intoxicated as the drink circulated through you.

 

"It's not that, I just won't be able to feel anything past a friendship for her." He turned his head away from you.

 

"Why not? People can learn to love another." You leaned on him a bit. "I had to do that when I met Nyx. It wasn't insta-love."

 

"What if I already care for someone else in that way?" He faced you again.

 

You gave him a blank stare, typing to piece it all together with your drunken haze spreading. "I knew it, you're starting to love Cindy, don't worry man I won't tell Prompto." You half whispered chuckling as you did so.

 

"No..." He sounded a bit disturbed or annoyed you couldn't figure it out. 

 

"Oh? Iris then? Look man, age is just a number, I get it but, she's only 15-"

 

"Just stop." He closed his eyes in frustration. "I can't believe you're going to make me say it."

 

"Say what?" Your eyes widened, "Who are you feeling for Noct?"

 

He didn't even have to say it. His reddened face said it all. It sobered you up in a way. It made your heart stop for a moment to process the meaning of his words. 

 

"Why me?" It was all you could manage.

 

He shrugged. "I wondered for a bit, what made you so special from everyone else, but I think it's because you get me more than the others do. You understand how I feel and don't try to change it either. I just can't explain how I feel really."

 

Your heart felt like it was pumping out too much. It was too soon for you to hear all of this, you were still grieving over Nyx and Noctis was trying to confess to you. This was the worst timing, it was a bad situation. 

 

"I'm not looking for you to tell me you feel the same. I just needed to get it off of my chest. I know you still love him and you're still hurting, and I would never ask for you to stop either. I just wanted you to know how I feel, how I always felt." 

Relief washed over you. The Prince wasn't ignorant of your feelings, he knew all too well of how much you were grieving and he didn't try and push you past it. He was making it even harder now.

 

"I didn't know...I wouldn't have guessed either." Your slurs had stopped. 

 

"I know I have to marry her, I'm just realizing why it's going to be so hard. I couldn't tell the guys that for my own reasons, not even Prompto. You're the only one I know who won't judge me for the way I feel." 

 

Your eyes closed as you soaked it all in. As you did, you felt other feelings emerge, ones you've been stuffing for a while.

"Noctis," you called out his name, "I won't get over what happened to Nyx, but I won't lie to you when I say I feel something too. Ever since I met you, I've had these weird feelings for you, like we were just meant to be together, whether as friends, acquaintances, or etc. I know it sounds cheesy but I feel a connection with you that I didn't even feel with Nyx. But you do know why we can't be more than friends though. It isn't our choice to have."

 

"The world's just counting on this peace marriage," he smiled sadly, "I know."

 

"Even if we were to be together, we couldn't be so out in public or even around our friends. We'd be sworn to secrecy." You started the hypothetical.

 

He smirked a bit. "If we stayed quiet it wouldn't be so bad."

 

"Until you're dressed and ready for your wedding." You countered.

 

"I would at least have the memories." He pushed forth into the scenario.

 

You laughed a bit. "Yeah but where would that leave me?"

 

He instantly frowned but with a playful catch. "I'll start a harem."

 

You snorted. "Over my dead body. I don't ever want to be a man's second wife." 

 

"I'll convince you otherwise when the time comes." 

 

"Pfft," you pushed his shoulder, "Never, pretty boy. I'm doomed to be alone and I'm perfectly fine with that. I could live without a guy in my life."

 

He leaned Ito you "Even if it was me?"

 

"It wouldn't ever be you. You can't be in my life like that, we just talked about it not even five minutes ago."

 

"I know. I feel so much better though, letting it out like that." He smiled warmly. 

  

"I'm glad I could be of service to the King." You bowed playfully. 

 

He laughed. "I'm not king yet."

 

"Soon though, you will be. You think you'll be ready?" Your tone was more serious.

 

His smile faded as he thought it over. "I'll do what I can, regardless if I'm ready or not."

 

"I think you will be," you said trying to put more faith in him, "I know what it's like to not be ready for the world, but I know you can get through it. You have us, Noct, and we're here to help guide you." 

 

"Makes it sound like you all were a part of a prophecy to protect me or something." 

 

You shrugged. "Possibly, I mean, the astrals are real, aren't they? I'd believe anything at this point." You laid your head down on his shoulder. "Why did it all have to end up this way?"

 

His arm went around your waist, securing you to his side. "War's cruelest to those who care." It was like Noctis was different person. Rarely did he ver speak any words of wisdom but that night you were learning a lot more than you bargained for.

 

"I wish this war was never started. Maybe then, we'd all be in their right place." You grabbed his hand.

 

"If the war never happened, then we probably wouldn't have met." Noctis pointed out.

 

You pursed your lips. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, Prince Noctis. I believe that if the war never happened, fate would bring us together a different way."

 

"If you really believe so."

 

You brought your face up to his and smiled. "I mean, fate brought us together again, didn't it? I mean it wasn't just by chance that we ran into each other again."

 

"You believe there's someone out there pulling the strings?" He raised a brow.

 

You shook your head. "Nope, I just believe that's how connections work." You then began to giggle from either the lack of sleep or the contender of alcohol.

 

He gave a tired half smile as he watched you giggle at your own theory. Leaning forward he placed a sweet kiss on your lips, pulling away before it could be pushed even further. He knew better than to take advantage of your drunken state so he was only going to give you a small gift, one that you shared before. 

You felt yourself go into a daze as you thought over the action.

   _I let it happen again....dammit..._

Your face was on fire, worsening from the nip of the cold night air. 

 

Noctis then stretched his arms up before readying himself to stand. "I'm going to get some rest. Something tell me that Ardyn is going to make me drive again tomorrow too." He passed another kiss onto you again, but this time on your cheek. "Good night." 

 

He jumped down from the trailer leaving you stilted and frozen. 

_I'm burning in Ifirit's kingdom for this..._

A loud sigh released itself from your as you fell bad onto the trailer, making a loud "dud". Your hand grasped at the necklace around your neck.

"You win this one, Prince." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm addicted to you, don't you know that you're toxic~"  
> It's alright, you can kill me now.  
> Anyways, thanks for making it this far, I know it took a while, but now I'm just wondering who will stick to the end XD It'll be a fun twist and turn of an adventure.  
> Yeah, that's the necklace from chapter 1. It was a Sylleblossom. I get it, I'm an ass but whatever. I thought it'd be a pretty asset. And it has a hell of a lot more meaning than you know. Like both in game and in the fan fiction. Anyways, for those who made it this far, thanks, it was nice to know some people had patience, and then there are some people who only read finished stories, which I totally get. But then I taint my brain with reading a story that's 3 chapters in, and not even close to being finished.


	14. Dormit Deus

"Hey," You felt a hand on your shoulder, causing you to jolt awake. You saw it was Gladio, sitting down beside you. He looked a little rough with his stubble growing out, but he seemed to be wide awake and healthy, unlike you at that moment. 

 

You shuffled a bit feeling more relaxed and looked around to see that you shockingly ended up in the bed. "Hey..." You sat up and rolled your stiff shoulders. It was one hell of a night.

 

"You feelin' alright?" Gladio asked, sounding somewhat concerned. 

 

"Hm?" You rubbed your head, "What do you mean?" Those drinks gave you such a headache. 

 

"You stumbled into the trailer," Ignis interceded, "You were spouting out words of hostility towards our unfavorable guest." He was leaned up against the wall beside the larger bed. He, unlike Gladio however was dressed nicely and looked cleanly shaven. You didn't understand how one man could be so kept. 

 

"Then you passed out on the concrete outside." Gladio pointed towards the door, you could tell he was withholding his laughter.

 

"How'd I end up in here?"

 

"You think we'd leave you out there?" Gladio snorted. 

 

Ignis sipped on his Ebony. "Noct carried you in here and requested that you'd have the bed."

 

"Where is he?" You pushed off the blanket, remembering last night fully. 

 

Ignis nodded towards the ground where the prince was resting. Sound asleep, it appeared, but he should've been very uncomfortable with his position. The corners of your mouth creased downwards, you felt bad that he ended up with the short end of the stick. Something about last night opened your eyes, you began understanding why Noctis acted the way he did around you. He was kind because he cared, because he truly had other feelings for you. 

 

"How much did you drink last night?" Gladio asked.

 

You breathed in wondering that yourself. You were drinking still after Noctis had left you alone, but you didn't remember much after that. "I think maybe 8 or 9. I can't remember, but it sure feels that way." 

 

"You seemed to ignore my initial warning." Ignis placed a water bottle down on the bed for you. "Take care you don't pass this habit onto Noctis or the others."

 

"C'mon Iggy, she deserved a heavy drink after all she's been through, after what we've all been through." Gladio was trying to back you up.

 

"If you're keep on letting her do this, then you can clean up after her when she vomits." He sent a sarcastic smile.

 

"Oh, no...I didn't...did I?" You groaned when Ignis nodded. "I'm so sorry." You placed a hand over your eyes, trying to hide your shame.

 

"Try and keep your drinks limited for now on. Especially when we have possible trouble with us." 

 

"Sorry, Ignis." You rubbed your eyes, hoping that you'd wake up more. 

 

"Now, when you're up and ready, you can handle the task of waking up his Highness." Ignis smirked as he headed out of the trailer. 

 

"Why me?" You raised a brow.

 

"It's your turn to do so." Gladio got off the bed, stepping over the sleeping Prince. "When you're ready, we'll all be out by the store with Prompto." 

 

You sighed when they both left. He's a pain to wake...

You grabbed the water Ignis gave to you and chugged it down, enjoying the hydration that was finally entering your body. Once you were finished, you tossed the empty bottle beside you stretching up in the air. You felt a sharp pain in your head remembering all you put yourself through last night. You let out a yawn that told you just how much you needed to brush. Holy hell, I have acid breath! You felt wheezy smelling your own breath and decided not to wait any longer to brush your teeth.

Once the task was finished you gave your face a quick rinse, getting rid of the grease from last night. You took a look at the sleeping dazed prince who slept with such a solemn expression. You couldn't help but think how adorable he was. 

 

Kneeling down beside him, you place a hand in his hair ruffling it out a bit. "Hey, Noct, wake up..." You did not want to wake him up like you did before, that was the last thing you wanted to do right at that point. "Come on, sleepy, you gotta get ready for the day."

 

He groaned a bit but opened his eyes but shut them again quickly. He let out a deep breath as he tried opening his eyes again. He was extremely tired and extremely not used to the light. 

 

"Awake yet, dork?" You giggled as he sat up. 

 

"Barely." He grumbled out, his voice hoarse from just waking.  His blue eyes were peeking out from beneath his dark lashes as he tried getting used to the light, his face was flushed from waking from the dead and his hair was disheveled every which way. It wasn't as weird or embarrassing as it was cute. Sleepy Noctis was a cute Noctis. "Why are you staring at me like that?" 

 

You looked down a bit, avoiding his eyes. "I don't know...I uh.."

 

"Can't take your eyes off of someone like me?" He gloated, making you snort and shake your head. 

 

"You're awake, fully, now get up." You went to stand but went right back down when you were pulled into a kiss. You didn't know how to respond at first but you finally gave in, pushing yourself more into him. 

A loud knock separated you two only for you to find out it was just a noise from a passer by. You sighed as you felt the mood was now ruined. Now you were just standing awkwardly in the trailer with the Prince who was readying himself for the day. 

 

"How are you feelin' after last night?" He asked casually as he went through his stuff to pull out a shirt. 

 

"I feel like absolute crap. I deserve it though, after getting intoxicated to the point of sickness. Why didn't you stop me?" You almost lectured, trying to pin the blame on someone else. You were joking after all, of course. 

 

He pulled off his shirt, revealing his upper half, making you instinctively turn away. "I wasn't going to make you stop. I'm not in charge of you." 

 

"But you still could've advised me to stop." You crossed your arms, a blush creeping onto you. After kissing the Prince, it was like more and more of him was physically being shown to you. You didn't want to think of where that could possibly lead. 

 

"I felt like you needed a night of fun." He pulled his clean shirt over his head, smoothing it out. "You seemed pretty stressed over Ardyn."

 

"I know..." Your voice lowered, hearing his name made you feel sick and it made your head hurt even worse. 

 

"Hey," he turned you around, placing his warm hands on your shoulders, "Everything is going to be fine, just relax. If he tries anything, we'll stop him before he gets too far." 

 

"Oaky," You breathed out, "I trust in you guys." 

 

"You ready for the day?" He asked giving you an assuring smile. 

 

"I guess. You ready to see the Archaean?" You countered.

 

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He leaned down once more to capture your lips but it was only for a short moment before he headed off to the bathroom. You could get used to this, but you knew you shouldn't. You knew as soon as you reached Altissia, you'd have to cut your ties. You wanted to do that before then, but maybe dabbling for now wouldn't hurt, plus it would take Noctis months to find all the royal arms. 

 This is why I drink...

Heading out of the trailer, you saw the sun bright as can be and a new day flashing by. Ever since your whole conversation with Noctis last night, you felt a bit more full. Knowing his motives and realizing your feelings truly brought some ease to you and it was great, to an extent, you still had your problem with Ardyn to face, but it was only for today, hopefully. A bunch of guys were placed all around one of the radios listening to it's broadcast. You would've went on and ignored it but there was a familiar voice that rang in your ears, causing you to halt all footsteps. 

 

"Though I am still young, my blood is true. As my mother before me, I will work to bring peace to one and all."- "That marks the ascension fo the youngest oracle in history..."

And you sought out to do just that...amazing... Your heart crinkled again, thinking of Lunafreya. How much pain did she endure while leaving the city? And who did she have to fight off. Not to mention you were smooching with her soon-to-be husband. 

 

"(Y/n)," A voiced called out. It was Ignis, calling you over from the the small market next to the caravan. 

 

You went over to him as he gave you a worrying look. "You feeling alright?"

 

"Yeah, why?" You asked, curious of what he was talking about.

 

"Just keeping an eye on you. Am I not allowed to show worry?" He was sparking over on sale spices, searching intensively for some good ones for dinners made later on. 

 

"You are, I'm just always questioning other's motives for caring. It's a habit, or it's an annoyance, either way." You pinched the bridge of you nose, trying to numb the pain that was taking over your head.

 

  
"How's Noct? Is he awake yet?" He picked up a spice, smelling it a bit before deciding he wanted it. 

 

"Yeah, he's getting dressed, I think. Or something. He was up when I left." Your arms stretched upwards, trying to shake the stiffness off your arms and shoulders again. The initial action didn't help too much.

 

"We should be heading out soon," He paid for his goods, "Our guest is patiently waiting for us in the store." His voice was tinged with sour suspicion.  You had almost forgotten that they were all on edge and that you weren't the only one feeling the unbalanced behavior of Ardyn. 

 

"Alright, call me when you guys are ready to head out," You turned to the opposite direction, "I'm going for a small walk." 

 

 

* * *

 

 

You were across the street now, just a little past the construction, or abandoned construction of a small house. There were large storage unites, 5 of them placed to your right, 3 cars and a small house accompanying them. In between the house and the storage units was a well boarded up with slightly worn bricks as it's build material. You sat on the well, staring up at one of the large arches that twisted across the land. Beyond them was the meteor, looking as if it were shaped and created by beautiful crystal. 

 

"I could look at this forever," You sat down and relaxed on the well, taking in that scene before you. Your attention was brought away from the sight in front of you when you heard the "snapping" sound from a camera. Turning you saw it was Prompto, with his camera pointed right at you. "What the hell?"

 

He lowered his camera, shooting you a smile. "I realized when going through the photos last night, I don't have many solo shots of you like I do for the other guys." He joined you, sitting next to the well. 

 

"Well, I'll tell you, I'm definitely not one for pictures. I always get derpy shots of myself every time I take a selfie, which is why I don't usually take them..." you closed your eyes and rubbed your temple. "Unless I was with Nyx I mean."

 

"Well, when you're caught off guard, you look pretty stunning, almost like a model." He pulled up the recent picture he just took. It was a side picture of you. There was your silhouette with god rays shining past you, making you look almost holy, bright like a star. 

 

"Oh my god," You took the camera from his hands, "Damn Prompto, you're a master!" 

 

"I try," He said bashfully. 

 

"Prompto, save this and send it to me." You took one more look at the photo before giving him his camera. You weren't exaggerating either, you actually enjoyed the picture, so much so that you truly wanted it to be your wallpaper. 

 

"I didn't think you'd like it that much." He laughed, and happily so. Getting commented on your craft would make you smile with giddy too. It truly is a gift to be complimented and praised for something you love doing, and you understood that with Prompto. 

 

"Sorry," You calmed down, "it caught me off guard. Plus, I'm loopy still." 

 

"Don't worry about it. It's good to see you in a different light....no pun intended." He pointed to the sun, scared you'd try and hit him for making an unintentional pun, which you would never do. You couldn't lie, you secretly loved the puns. 

 

You rolled your eyes, "Well, what did you come down here for?" 

 

His eyes shot open. "Right, I was supposed to come and fetch you! We're leaving now." He seemed a little panicked seeing he forget his original task, something that you were able to relate to. 

 

You sighed out, "Alright." You stood up, dusting your behind off, and began the walk back to the Regalia. Prompto was way ahead of you, trying to make it back fast so he didn't get into any trouble. You took one last glance back at the scene before you. It was only hours before you'd be down there with the meteor, and it wasn't going to be a pleasant visit with Titan, that you knew for sure. Or that was what your gut feeling told you. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Whoever thought of tapping into the meteor's power was a genius." Gladio commented as he gazed about over the meteor. Your eyes were looking in the same direction, soaking in the sight, enjoying the relaxation before the storm that was bound to rise. 

 

"Can you even go near that thing?" Prompto asked carrying a strange look on his face. It was somewhat a dumb question considering that it is a big visitation sight for tourists but he probably meant way down near its core so you decided to keep your mouth shut on the subject. 

 

"They harvest fragments found nearby-pieces that broke off when the meteor fell." Ignis informed next to you. "Almost fell, I should say, for the Archaean caught it." You remembered reading that somewhere, but the "where" part was your problem. You remembered reading it some guy's blog while searching the web for a report you had to do way back in high school. It was a cheesy sight but the information was cute to say the least. 

_I think it was called **Meteor**... I don't even know why I am thinking about this._

 

"And he's still there, holding the thing up." Gladio joked, as if he thought it was all just a tale. You hoped they all knew it wasn't a tale. Luna was living proof that the Astrals were no legend, especially since she was a gift of the gods, or in better terms, the Oracle was. 

 

"Guess he never misses leg day." Noctis humored as well. 

 

"Or any day for that matter." Prompto included. 

 

"I know Gladio didn't." You poked his muscly leg. It wasn't a secret Gladio was a huge mass of muscle all formed into a man but it was still fun to point out. 

 

"His unceasing toil and the meteor's might form the tenets of worship for the locals of Duscae." Ignis was like a book, always telling things off as if he's reading it from a passage. 

 

Gladio furrowed his brows thinking of the scenario. "Makes you wonder what it's like down at his feet." 

 

"We can put you down there so you could find out, if that's fine with you, Gladio." You bumped his leg with yours. 

 

"I wouldn't be on fire, if that's what you wanted, I'd make Titan's feet melt with how good I look." Gladio fueled the fire of fun in the car. Of course he'd have the highest self esteem in the car, but you were more than willing to put that out. 

 

"Or he'd think you're some kind of toe fungus and try stepping you out." You smirked as Noctis let out a silent laugh in the front seat, shooting you a smile in the mirror. 

 

Prompto flipped around in his seat to shoot a finger gun at Gladio. "Burn."  _Pun intended..._

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 "So you know, it's hot where we're going." Ignis commented, mainly at you for wearing your jacket. 

 

"No, really? I thought it'd be a really chill place, Iggy." You couldn't help but be sarcastically sour, it was your true nature. "If anything, I'll just take off the jacket, I'll live, especially after Lestallum."

 

"Lestallum isn't nearly as hot as a meteor." Noctis pointed out. Not that he would know but it was pretty obvious. 

 

"Will the camera fare alright?" Ignis ignored you and Noctis and went on to Prompto who was toying with his camera in the front seat. 

 

"As long as I avoid open flames it should be okay." He was cleaning off the front lenses with a piece of cloth. "I think." 

 

"We don't have a spare if it breaks." Gladio warned, not wanting to hear the blond complain if he does somehow lose or mess it up. You couldn't blame him, if you were going to see the Archaean, you'd surely take a camera too. 

 

Noctis peered over for a quick second. "Leave it in the car?" 

 

"Oh no, I'm taking it." He smiled as he looked through it to see the quality, "Not everyday you get up close and personal with the Archaean. I'd kick myself if I missed the photo op." 

 

"Spoken like a true photographer." Gladio mocked, knowing it was a bad idea.

 

"As they say," Prompto countered, " **Better try and fail than to never have tried at all.** "

 

"Look at you." Noctis almost sounded impressed. 

 

"Well, they say that. Not me." He put his camera away and began fixing the fly-aways in his hair. It shocked you how well everyone's hair stuck by in the car. It was a convertible anyways, and the top for the most part was always down. How the hell did they have such perfect hair? You even began to wonder if it was bullet proof. 

 

"Well, you just do what you gotta." Noctis turned his head to the side, trying to crack his aching neck.

 

"Floor treat ya right, Prince?" You asked, knowing that sleeping on the floor was a bit rough for someone like him. 

 

"A bit, but nothing I couldn't handle." He surely wasn't an ordinary prince, that was for certain. 

 

"After failing to dodge a lot of our enemies attacks, I'm not surprised to hear you say that." Prompto chided in. That was a pretty good one. 

 

"Shut up." Noctis dismissed effortlessly, knowing to just not make a comeback with his blond friend. 

 

Your mind produced a random but still old thought, a memory really, of when you and Nyx decided to live together. "Back when I first got with Nyx, I remember we were thinking really hard about deciding if we should move in together or not. We thought it'd be a good idea but we agreed that we'd want to get a place of our own together." You smiled, remember how simple everything was back then. "We ended up in this crafty apartment with bad insulation. The floors were wooden and cold, and extremely uncomfortable. But we didn't care, we were so happy to have a place together, even if we had no furniture, no bed, and we had to ration our food. We just had each other. I remember sleeping on that floor and waking up with the biggest kink in my neck but I also recall smiling when I woke up. Something about waking up in our apartment with him felt...calming."

 

"Sounded like you guys really cared for just each other." Gladio oddly commented. 

 

"We did. I wonder if the apartment is still intact after all that happened..." You weren't as sad as you were curious and it shockingly translated well with the guys.

 

"When we have to go back to the crown city," Noctis started off, showing sympathy in his voice, "We'll help you take a look."

 

"Yes, I'm sure we'll find a lot of your belongings still placed in the same position as you left them." Ignis also added. 

 

You nodded, "I think so too."

_Nyx, you remember, right? The moment we thought we'd be together till the end, married with a family, and with the war behind us? I remember and I keep wishing that this reality was all just a bad dream..._

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Hey Iggy, will your glasses be able to take the heat?" Prompto thought out. It was a definite change after the long silence you created with your topic and it was welcomed. 

 

"Well I don't see why they shouldn't." He adjusted them on his nose. 

 

"Even if they couldn't, he'll be alright." Noctis shrugged off. 

 

"Yeah, Iggy's eyes aint that bad." Gladio recalled.

 

You furrowed your brows a bit, wondering if Ignis did ever take them off around you at all. Of course he did, but for long periods of time. He never did so often from what you recalled, but it's still a sight you'd like to see nowadays. 

 

"Oh, really?" Prompto sounded surprised. He probably thought Ignis was a blind little puppy without glasses.

 

"Er, my vision is passable without corrective lenses." 

 

"Then why not take them off sometimes?" Prompto asked, a pretty simple question really. 

 

"He doesn't want to blind people with his beauty." You joked, knowing that Ignis did look pretty handsome without his glasses. That was actually what made you first attracted to him, and it all started because he just had to clean his glasses.  _Ahhh....memories..._

 

"Well um..." He thought of a better answer to give than yours. He was used to your shenanigans by now. 

 

"You don't get it, huh?" Noctis looked over to his friend.

 

"Ignis likes his world to be crsytal clear." Gladio answered in. 

 

"Indeed." That must've been the phrase he was looking for. "I've never been one for ambiguity." 

 

"Ahhhh, I think I'm getting the picture now." Prompto gave Ignis a cheeky smile. "By the way, how does it feel being away from the wheel?" 

 

"Positively frightening." You giggled at Ignis' words, finding yourself multitasking as you took in the change of scenery with the new rocky landscape. 

 

"What're you saying?" Noctis shot back with defense. He even took the time to look back at Ignis but not without swerving a bit, causing you all to grab onto something in the car out of fear. 

 

"That I'm no stranger to his Highness's driving habits." Ignis pretty much proved his point. You guys were getting closer to the meteor. 

 

"Appreciate the confidence." Noct rolled his eyes. It was amazing how some of their conversations were like background noise for you, but they also managed to stay pretty memorable in your mind. It was nice to be around these interesting guys. 

 

"Read a book," Gladio suggested, "It'll take your mind off it." He pulled out his own. You never really understood how Gladio was the one of all four of them to be a reader, instead of Ignis and possibly Prompto. Gladio was surely supposed to be a meathead but he proved that stereotype wrong once he showed his wits and sincerity. 

 

"I'd rather keep my eyes on the road for now, thank you." Ignis declined, even his fists were tightening, showing how tenses he felt about Noctis driving with his headaches. You almost forgot how scary it was being in the back seat with Noct driving, this only caused the anxiety to kindle. 

 

"I guess nothing can take your mind off Noct's driving." Prompto leaned his seat back a bit, but just enough for Gladio to still have room. "So, like you told Iggy to read a book."

 

"Yeah, and?" Gladio put down his book. 

 

"You know, that's how you get carsick..." Prompto informed. 

 

"I've never heard of that before." You admitted, having the thought he could've made it up. 

 

"I guess you don't know everything then." Ignis teased, knowing you were pretty dense in some terms. You had high grades but that was because you studied a lot, and not all the knowledge stuck with you. In fact, most of it flooded away because it was useless for life outside of school. 

 

"Hey, I'm human, not a robot like you, Ignis." You said in your defense. 

 

"Hell yeah," Noct nodded.

 

"Right," Prompto held his stomach, "A few minutes in and my lunch comes up." 

 

"You get used to it" Gladio argued.

 

"Yeah, to puking on myself." The blond was being extra snooty today.

 

"You just.." Gladio seemed to be losing his thoughts, "lack training."

 

"Not sure you can train that away." Noctis looked at him with uncertainty. 

 

"I've never gotten sick while reading in the car, maybe you guys have weak stomachs?" You were actually on Gladio's side for once. 

 

"Or you and Gladio are some kind of off breed human." Prompto yawned out.  _That could be possible..._ You laughed in your head. 

 

"I think we're here." Your mind traveled to the closed gate beyond, where Ardyn had stopped his car at. Noctis pulled up behind, waiting to hear some answers. 

 

"We're here." Ardyn confirmed, calling back from his car. 

 

"Better not be a setup," Noctis spoke out, rather quietly, but Ardyn's ears were still able to pick it up. 

 

"Have I given you reason to doubt me?" He said in an innocent tone. It made your stomach knot up, the way he spoke, it was disgustingly sinful and not in a lustful way. It felt evil and manipulative. 

 

"You don't really inspire confidence." Prompto stated with sarcasm. 

 

Gladio nodded. "Yeah, not very straightforward."

 

"And you talk like a typical villain in any story." You sank in your seat.

 

"Hello!," Ardyn called up to the person operating the gate, "It's me! Be so kind as to open up!" As soon as the request was uttered, the door opened, shocking you all.

 

"Wow, that worked?" Prompto spoke for you all.

 

"I may not look like much, but I do have some influence. Aren't you glad we came together?"  _No..._ "Your audience waits with divinity lies ahead." Ardyn waved his arm out to the gaped gate.

 

"You're leaving?" Prompto asked. 

 

"I drop you off at the Archaean's open door, and with that, bid you farewell."  _Yes!!!_

 

Noctis pushed his foot down onto the gas peddle, slowly though, and with great caution. You could tell he was hesitant to head in, this guy wasn't following, so did that mean there was some sort of trap?

 

"I've met some weirdos..." Gladio had slightly widened eyes. 

 

"I hope we never meet that one again." Ignis looked back at the gate as it got small the further Noctis drove away.

 

"Woah!" Prompto sounded a bit uncomfortable, "Little harsh there, don't ya think?"

 

"No, I feel like he's hiding more than we thought." You felt your nerves unbend and unravel as you got further away from Ardyn's dark mass. 

 

"Guy really knew his stuff about nursery rhymes." Prompto wondered on. 

 

"Yeah," Noctis scoffed, "Nothing creepy about that." 

 

You could feel the heat hitting you even more than before. You were close to the meteor, you were at the damn meteor. The heat was becoming a part of you.

There was a gradual slope curving down, big enough for the car, so Noctis kept on driving. It made you a little nervous, seeing that there was no rail or anything to stop you from falling off the cliff into the heart of the meteor.There were arches that began to show up above as you went further down the path. It was truly a sight and you watched as Prompto snapped away at the sight. 

Finally you all made it to what looked like ruins. "What was here before?" You asked stepping closer to the crumbling foundation of the old building.

 

"Not sure," Noctis said sharing your awe. There was a pathway on the right that lead in further to the meteor and it was covered by rock, almost like a cave, but not as condensed or closed in. When the other side started to peak out, you could only let out an exasperated gasp. The meteor was almost in full view and it was beyond gorgeous. 

 

"These ruins..." Ignis caught your attention as he placed a hand on the leftover structure. He felt the texture and the material and you were betting you both were thinking the same thing.  _A royal tomb._

 

"Everything looks dead here." You looked up at the dried out trees.

 

"The meteor does expel more heat than wanted for vegetation to grow, so that's not a big mystery." Ignis joined along as you guys began the path to the meteor. The ruins created a path of rubble and stone, leading you to where you should be. 

 

"Oh my god," You mumled out as the meteor finally showed itself. The look of it was amazing enough but the raw energy you could feel radiating off of it was miraculous. 

 

"Is that what I think it is." Prompto pointed out to the tomb ahead, or what was left of it.

 

"Didn't expect to find a royal tomb here." Ignis ventured forth, eager to see the weapon and stone coffin.

 

"Would be a shame not to grab that power though, eh, highness?" Gladio hinted at.

 

"Let's grab it and go." Noctis said, with a cringed look. He looked as if he was starting to feel the headaches again.

Forward he went, not even caring about the meteor anymore. He was determined to grab what he needed so he could rest, and you could respect that.

 

As Noct went on to grab the weapon, you decided to take a peak down off of the ledge that held up the royal tomb and you all.  _A hand?! He's right there!_ Down below was the slumber-induced Titan, still holding the meteor of legends. You seen how people would've missed over it, thinking that a bizarre rock formation was what caused the legend, but there was no denying this was Titan. _He was shaking and being annoying earlier, why isn't he waking yet?_ You turned back but the boys were more focused on Noctis grabbing the royal arm. You couldn't blame them but seeing Titan below was beyond exciting!

 

He received the weapon of his ancestor, and nothing but silence followed, as if you all were waiting for something to happen. Nothing did, so it was just decided that you all would head back to the car, seeing no point in being this close to the meteor anymore, even if you knew about Titan sleeping down below. The ground began to shake and you instinctively grabbed onto the crumbled wall for support. He was awake.

"Here we go again!" Prompto yelled, trying his best to keep balance as Titan quaked Eos, but failed miserably. 

 

"This one's huge!" Gladio exclaimed kneeling to keep himself from falling roughly. 

 

"Get away! Quickly!" Ignis hastily said running back to safer ground, as you were dazed by the shakes. 

 

Within seconds a sharp pain erupted within and you felt yourself fall down to the ground.  _I hear something!_

It was deep and almost sounded as if he was growling. Titan was speaking.

 

**_"The King shall prove himself worthy of my blessing."_ **

 

"What the hell?" You tried looking up but felt the floor loosen underneath you, so you quickly got up and scrammed. You didn't make it though, instead you fell down, sliding in the hardened rock, skidding away at your clothes. You weren't alone though, Noctis was sliding his way down too. You were able to keep on the little ledge at the bottom but it was Noct who almost fell, saved just in time by the big behemoth himself, Gladio. 

Again you found yourself looking for Titan, waiting for him to arise.  _Did he actually speak?_

Your mouth opened to speak but you didn't know what to say.

 

Up he rose, still with the meteor in hand. His glowing red eye haunted you once again, sending you back through his messages. In the other eye, he had what looked like rock protruding from it, almost looking as if it was crystallizing in the socket. He was covered in white patterns that stood out against his Eos brown skin. 

His eyes glared down at the King, speaking his message loud and clear. 

 

**_"Prove that you are the true King of light and my power is yours."_ **

 

"God damn...this is the Archaean?" Noctis felt smaller than he ever thought he would. You all felt that way. You all were probably as tall as his pinky finger if he laid his hand flat onto the ground. He was a god, certainly. 

 

 _Wait a moment, did Noct not hear him?_ You thought a second more on it before it dawned you. 

A sudden realization hit you as another headache started up again. When the headache subsided a bit, you finally let yourself think aloud, the thought you'd been holding in. 

"I can speak with Titan..." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay one, Ignis' accent makes me melt. And two, I got a full time job now, so keeping up on this story will be really hard for me but it's still doable. I work from 3-11 pm every day except weekends but I'll write when I have time before I sleep for the night. 
> 
> I do apologize if some of these chapters suck, it's a story that goes along with the game and I don't want to foop it all up. It's going to follow the game story up until they get to Altissia, then I'll definitely change a lot up, because that's where the game started falling apart for me, I still enjoyed it though. 
> 
> But yeah, fun fact: Did you know that "Dormit Deus" or "Deus Dormit" means "God Sleeps" or "A God Sleeps" in Latin? I studied Latin for a few years and am now independently studying it fo myself. It's the one language I find myself falling in love with even more than I should, but it's hard as hell, so if anyone's taking it in highschool or college, I wish you all luck.


	15. Titan's Wrath

 

_It isn't because of her that I can understand him, is it?_

 

"Seems you woke the big guy up," Gladio looked over, checking up on Noctis who was in wide-eyed shock. 

 

"I think he's trying to tell me something, but I don't know what." That confirmed your theory. Noctis wasn't able to understand Titan but you were easily able to. Damn the gods. 

 

 You grabbed onto the Prince's arm. "Noct, he's trying to-"

 

"Noct! You okay?" Prompto's voice cut you off. Looking up, him and Ignis were still up on the higher ground. 

 

"Thank heaven's you're safe. Is there a way back up?" Ignis called down.

 

"No," Noctis yells back up, waving them down to make sure they could see you all, "but there's a path. Gonna see where it leads." 

 

"You two try to get down." Gladio suggested, knowing that it was time for Noctis to face the Archaean. 

 

"Very well. We'll look for a way." Ignis pulled Prompto off to look for a safe way down to the your guys' location.  "Be careful now."

 

"You too." Noctis turned his attention to the path he was previously talking about.

 

"What?! We're going where?" You heard Prompto yell out, sounding as frightened as a cat. 

 

Noctis went forward, out of your grasp, and almost like he was in a trance. "Don't rush off on you own, huh?" Gladio said, meeting up to you and Noctis. 

 

"Don't get left behind." Noctis snapped back. 

 

"Wise guy." Gladio shook his head, finding the humor to be nonexistent. 

 

"Are you alright?" You asked, noticing his shift in attitude. 

 

"Yeah," he replied coldly, it was like he was fighting a constant headache. He probably was considering where you all were.

 

Gladio gave you a pat on the back, trying to ease you a bit, seeing as you kept your head level till this point. "Just keep moving, alright, Stub?" His use of your nickname helped relax you a bit more seeing as he gave you a warming smile. 

 

It was within the movements of going forward onto the path that you began regretting your decision to not leave your hoodie in the car. It was blazing hot and you could almost feel the heat beneath your feet through your boots. You were sweating pools by now and you were certain you smelled like old sweat.  _I call dibs on the shower..._ You thought, trying your best not to freak out from your gross state. 

The further down you went, the more you went into the pit of hell the meteor created. Open flames were seen sprouting from the hardening rock that was created by molten lava. It was that hot. You were really hoping you'd never have to go to another hot place like this but knowing your luck, that would probably end up being the case. 

 

As Noctis moved along, he ended up jumping at the sight of a flock of birdly beasts flying up. 

 

"They're on edge-" Gladio observed, "let's not ruffle their feathers anymore." 

 

"Um, try shutting your beak." Noctis glared back. 

 

"Just offering sound advice." Gladio grumbled. 

 

Noctis stepped closer to Gladio, challenging him further. "Yeah, like a parrot in my ear." 

 

"Alright, I'm going to make you both fly if you don't move you asses. Go." You pointed, taking authority almost like a mother would. Gladio's eyes widened at your sudden taking in charge but shrugged it off as he followed your orders. Noctis shook his head as he went on, feeling the open flames even more so, raising his arms to shield him a bit. You were sick of this childish persona they were portraying, it was annoying that they chose a time like this, while you all were melting your skin off, to bicker. You were getting annoyed further more by the heat, causing you to tie your jacket around you wasit and allow your tank top to be exposed, not that you cared. 

 There was peace and silence as you all tried figuring out how the hell you could get out of the melting pit. It also made you a little paranoid as you waited for Titan to reappear. He was disturbingly quiet also. 

 

There was ruffling sound coming from ahead and you were quick to notice the source. "There's those birds again..." You pointed out, readying your sword. They attacked and you all were quick to defeat them, even if the heat was killing you all slowly. 

 

"Heats making me woozy." Gladio admitted and he grabbed onto his sweaty head. 

 

"How the hell does it get this hot?" Noctis agreed, appearing to be on the verge of passing out. 

 

"C'mon, the longer we wait around, the faster the heat will kill us." You pushed on, hoping they'd be able to make it out. 

 

"Feels like I'm about to combust." Noctis complained further. You sighed out but kept moving on, giving them no choice but to follow. 

 

After a few twists and turns, it left you all to you steep where there was no way nor desire to go down. "Damn," Noctis said with stress. 

 

"Hey," Gladio called over to you both, "Over here." He was pointing to a ledge, which you decided to test out for them. You were already half way across before Gladio and Noctis decided to join along. 

"No room for error here." Gladio commented as he skid across. 

 

 

"No time to chill either, make it quick." Noctis said hastily. 

 

"Watch it." You barked out, getting fed up with his attitude. He wasn't the only one suffering from a painful headache. His complaining wasn't helping any of you. 

 

You made it across and a sigh left you as you did. "Just want this to be over with." Noctis fussed on, still making it slowly across. 

 

The ground shook again, this time having the rock crumble beneath Noct and Gladio's feet. "Tremors...hang on!" 

 

Your hand latched onto your head as you felt another painful wave hit you. Titan was not holding back.

"Ugh..." Noctis groaned, "My head...."

 

You forgot about your pain, having your worries switch over to Noctis who was still on the steep ledge. 

"Again? Of all times..." Gladio complained, trying to hurry across while being careful at the same time. "Let's hurry the hell across."

 

"Noctis, hold on alright, you're almost there!" you called out, trying to keep calm yourself.

 

"Noct. You doing alright?" Gladio asked, almost over to your side. 

 

He didn't answer at first, instead he was being drowned in a migraine caused by the rocky bastard above who was moving his hand near you three. 

 

"What now?" Gladio gritted his teeth as he saw the hand fly by. Titan was trying to get a grasp of Noct, that or he was trying to throw him down. 

 

"Hey! Titan! What's the big idea!" Noctis yelled out, flailing himself a bit, forgetting he was on a deadly ledge. 

 

"Save it! Get to solid ground first!" Gladio growled, gripping onto the rock behind his back. 

 

"Faster!" Noctis freaked.

 

"Calm down," Gladio commanded, "I'm going as fast as I can." You were holding your hand out, waiting to grab onto Gladio to pull him onto the land quicker, but then your next task would be to secure Noctis. 

"Almost there," Gladio reached out for you, and you even leaned out a bit further. You were inches from each other's grasp.

 

When another tremble hit, Gladio grabbed onto the branch that was above him but Noctis was the one who seemingly jumped forward, just about throwing himself off the ledge completely. "Hurry!" 

Thankfully, Gladio caught him in time but was only able to hang onto him long enough to throw him onto your ground, causing him to fly right into you. 

 

"Get off..." You requested, trying to push the prince off of your bruised and battered ribs. 

 

**_"This is the King of Light? Cowerring away?"_ **

 

"You aren't exactly a nice flower to talk to, you know..." You huffed out, standing up. 

 

"If that's his welcome, I'd hate to see how he treats intruders." Gladio stared, awe in his eyes as Titan looked over. 

 

"He's starting to see us as intruders, that much I'll say." You tried sucking a breath in, it was going to be a few hours before you were able to breath normal air. 

 

"You wanna talk, so do I?" Noctis was beginning to let his mind be clouded by cocky thoughts. He wasn't going to be able to take on Titan and that was something he needed to know and learn. 

 

"Glad the feeling's mutual. Let's move." Gladio was surprisingly holding his cool up with Noctis. 

 

After going under an underpass, Noctis felt the need to complain more and the tension was rising between the three of you. 

"I'm sick of this endless walking..."

 

Gladio frowned, flashing his teeth for a second like an angry dog. "And I'm sick of your endless whining." He pulled the prince over by the shoulder and eventually pulling him up by the collar. "Calm the hell down."

 

"Get off my back." Noctis brushed off, not noticing his annoyances. 

 

"Are you a man of royal blood or aren't you?" Gladio furrowed his brows more. 

 

"Of course I am." He pushed Gladio off. "I couldn't forget it if I tried. What about it?"

 

"I ain't saying that you've forgotten, but you gotta know something: You're not the only one who's having a tough time. We're all on edge." Gladio's eyes darted to you, and you were able to catch the glimpse of pain in his eyes. The only family Gladio had left was Iris and it was a miracle that she even survived. He's right though, you all were on edge. That was something you learned early on, but you thought the Prince already had that in mind. Gladio wasn't trying to disregard the King's death, he was just trying to explain that Noctis wasn't the only one who lost something that day. You all lost something. 

"We Amicitia are the king's sworn Shields. Guard the king with our lives - that's how it's always been. I've embraced my duty. And I also take pride in it. "

 

"He's only that, a shield, Noct. He's not a barrier you can just hide yourself behind when you're scared. We're all scared but we're also all together, especially in this." You placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic smile. 

 

"When you can't focus, I focus for you. It's my job, so let me do it, alright?" Gladio's tone softened. 

 

Noctis nodded. "Alright." 

You gave a light squeeze on his shoulder before moving on. A new confidence was formed for the prince and you were hoping he would see it too. 

 

"Sorry, but I had to get it out." Gladio apologized to you both, you especially since you had to be there for that. "C'mon." 

Noctis only let out a sigh, he was realizing how much of an ass he's been. 

"And remember, don't rush ahead on your own." 

 

"Hey Gladio," Noctis stopped walking, "Your dad...I'm grateful for him." He stuttered out. 

 

You could see the warmth in Gladio's eyes as he smiled in remembrance. "Just doin' his job." 

You heard a phone go off and you instinctively checked for yours but it in reality, it was Noct's. 

"Ummm, isn't that your phone?" 

 

Noctis reached into his back pocket, pulling out his phone to see if it really was his. His eyes sparked a bit when he saw who was calling. "Ignis..."

You heard the engine of an aircraft above and when you looked up, you could feel yourself melt with hatred. 

 

"Seriously?! This is like having a bunch of enemies spawn in one area! This is stupid!" You were now pissy.

 

"Got cut off." He put his phone away, "But it sounds like we're about to have Imperial company." 

 

"About to get even hotter in here." Gladio was dreading it too. 

 

"It couldn't just be the god, couldn't it? It had to involve Niffleheim." You just wanted this all to be over.

 

"We'll get through this." Noctis assured. It was like you both switched roles. 

 

"Yeah, yeah. I want a cold shower after this." You stretched up heading out towards Titan. 

 

When you did make it to the God, the empire had already beaten you guys to Titan. "We finally made it." Gladio sounded relieved. 

 

"I know." Noctis flashed a smile.

 

**_"Prove yourself, King of Light."_ **

 

"Why does he keep saying that?" You ask aloud.

 

"Saying what?" Gladio asked. 

 

You answered without thinking. "About the King of light." 

 

"You can understand him?" Gladio's eyes widened. 

 

 _Shit..._ "No, I'm just guessing that was what he was saying. Sorry, I'll stop playing around now." You dismissed only to run in with the Empire. You pulled out your rapier, slicing at the troops, aiming to harm Titan. 

 

When all was said and over, Noctis found himself going to the cliff's edge to finally confront Titan.  _He's going to put you through a trial, Prince. Be ready..._

 

"Hey!" Noctis called up, "I'm here!" 

 

**_"The oracle asked for the covenant to be formed, I must be certain you are worthy."_ **

 

Noctis flinched at the pain erupting within. "What the hell is it you want? Quit screwing wih my head!"

 Titan balled his fist and began his first strike. 

"You've got to be kidding me..." Noctis carped. 

 

Within seconds, the prince was knocked over by the punch, technically thrown into the air. He warped back down and you tried your best to get down to his level. You weren't going to let him do this all on his own. 

 

**_"If you can defend yourself against me, then you may have my power."_ **

 

Titan lifted his foot, ready to stamp on the young prince. Noctis wasn't going to let that trample him though, he blocked the giant foot with his sword, waiting for it to fall. That was until Gladio came in and pushed him out of the way. You were sliding down a rocky slope, trying your best to safely make it down. You were relieved Gladio was able to step in when he did. 

 

"Are you alright?" he called out to Noctis who was helping himself up.

 

He sighed. "I owe you one." 

 

"This ain't gonna work, we gotta run." 

 

"There's a pass over here!" You pointed, already on your way. 

Noctis and Gladio followed, making you ease your nerves knowing they weren't going to stick around and fight. 

 

**_"You cannot run away."_ **

 

"Try us, you Eos bastard." You whispered to yourself. You gulped to yourself when you saw a large step that wasn't going to be easy to climb. "Well, the gods have shit in my dinner once again!" 

 

"No they haven't," Gladio lightened up as he knelt down, waiting for you to climb up on his hand. Your foot went into his palm and he threw you up with ease, getting you just over the step .You groaned a bit as your bare elbows skid over the hot rocky ground. 

Noctis was thrown up to and soon along, Gladio climbed up on his own. 

 

"Dammit," Noctis realized how he had scuffed up his knees and how they were probably going to swell later. 

Your eyes widened when you looked up to see a hand falling down onto you all. Noctis grabbed your hand and threw you out of the way, as he and Gladio jumped out themselves. 

 

"I did not sign up for this shit!" You yelled out as you spit out the dirt that clouded in your mouth after the fall. 

 

"Don't stop! Run!" Gladio hastened, jumping up to his feet and dragging you along.

 

"I'm not a rag doll!" You pulled your arm out of his grip.

 

He rolled his eyes as he glared back at you. "You're not a sprinter either, now c'mon!" 

 

"He just won't quit." Noctis caught up to you both. 

 

Titan swooped his hand towards you guys, as if he were gathering crumbs on a table, and it was enough to piss off Gladio, so much so that he pulled out his weapon. It was so quick, Noctis found himself sliding underneath his friend and you had to stop to see what the hell the behemoth was planning. 

 

"Gladio!" You yelled out, trying to get him to come along.

 

"Hurry!" He grunted, "I can't keep this up!" 

 

Noctis huffed out trying to find a way out. He grabbed your wrist and pulled you to him, throwing his blade down to the ground and warping his way there. You felt sick, you've never warped before and that was enough to make you wheeze for air. As you were stuck on the ground, trying to force yourself to feel better, Noctis was up and armed, waiting for Titan to attack. 

And he did, bringing his fist up to strike down at you both. 

 

_ **"Weak, you are nothing but weak."** _

 

His fist went down and Noctis tried his best to block the attack. He yelled out as his muscles acted on their own, throwing off Titan's attack. You were finally able to stand, and by doing so, you joined Noct in trying to block off Titan's attack. 

His last attack was too powerful for you though and you were sent flying onto your back. 

 

"You kidding me?!" 

 

Noctis gritted his teeth as he planned another attack, this time warping to Titan, meeting up with his fist. He was thrown down to the ground, rolled over in pain, but you found yourself standing in a matter of moments, waiting for Titan to get close enough to attack.

 

"Titan! Lighten up, you asshole!" As if that was really going to work, but hey, you could understand him so what did it matter to you.

 

"I'm not gonna take anymore of this crap!" Noctis was up again, this time trying his best to keep on his feet. You admired his newfound strength. 

 

"Thatta boy! You're becoming a king!" You cheered, hoping that would boost him further.

 

As Titan tried squishing Noct again, he found that the prince's abilities were upped, seeing as his hand was almost instantly fought off. As Titan's hand fell back to the ground, Noctis attacked and you too soon joined. You wondered if this was actually going to make a huge difference. It seemed to be working though.

It wasn't long before Prompto and Ignis joined along, and it brought a smile to your face knowing you and Noct weren't going to be alone in this.

 

"Did you miss us?" Prompto charmed shooting up at Titan. 

 

"Apologies." Ignis took stance.

 

"Looks like you weren't the only ones to come to the rescue..." You looked up again to see imperials, fighting off Titan. They had both lasers and rockets aimed to hit the God. 

 

"We alright?" Gladio joined in again.

 

"The family is whole again!" You sarcastically cried out. 

 

It wasn't long before the empire began weakening Titan with their missiles and technology. It was shocking how helpful they were being. Titan was now on his last legs, trying to keep himself from falling with the meteor in hand. 

"Here," Ignis tossed you a magic flask, containing an icy source. It was a good plan, to Ice Titan while he was down, and you definitely didn't hold back when you threw the ice bomb at him. 

 

Icing up his entire arm, Noctis took the chance to strike, breaking his arm to pieces. "It's over!" 

Titan had fallen.

 

"Hey," Noctis called out with a triumphant smile, "we all still here?"

 

"Mentally or psychically?" You asked, dropping to your knees. 

 

"Yep, still here," Gladio put away his weapon and gave you a firm pat on the back.

 

"A little battered." Ignis straightened out his suit and you could do nothing but envy his great shape. 

 

"Yay for you." You grouched. Ignis held a hand out for you to take and you did gratefully. He pulled you to your feet and you could do nothing but lean on him. "I'm really hoping we're done for the day."

 

"Does this mean it's over?" Prompto was on the same boat as you.

 

The ground shook again and you could only frown at your luck. "Really?" 

 

**_"You had won..."_ **

 

"What-" Noctis screeched, making you almost mistaken him for Prompto, "What is it now?"

 

"What is he doing?" Ignis marveled. 

 

"Hopefully, just trying to reach for an itch." You really wanted to go and get cleaned and rested. 

 

"He's winding up!" Prompto freaked.

 

"For the big one!" Gladio finished.

 

**_"Let the blessing be commenced."_ **

 

"Oh..." You let out with distant hysteria.  _He's finally letting you have it..._

 

A light arose from Titan as he gave himself to Noctis. The prince was able to prove himself and you couldn't help but grin at that.

 

"Gah!" Noctis yelled out as the light hit him.

 

"Hey!" Gladio called out running to his side. 

 

"That was..." He breathed out opening his eyes, "Luna. You spoke with her? That's why..."

 

"That's why I was going to suggest coming down here. In one of the visions, he showed Luna. I knew why she was down here." You admitted.

 

"Why didn't you say anything?" He sounded offended. 

 

"You didn't ask." You answered simply.

As Titan finished his covenant, he disappeared, transforming into the light. As the dazing lights faded away, something more has happened. Lava was spitting from the ground, and the heat was rising. 

"Where's the miracle in this?" 

 

"Doesn't get much worse than this." Gladio tensed. 

 

"I'm waiting for us to be proven wrong." You gulped beginning to be as nervous as ever. 

 

If the boiling heat wasn't enough, an airship hovered beside you bunch, opening up its doors to reveal Ardyn. "Fancy meeting you here!" He called out, being the ass that he was.

All of you felt the other's mouth drop open as the shock of Ardyn being with the empire hit you. Well, you had your suspicions but you didn't think you'd be right!

"it occurs to me that I never formally introduced myself. Izunia." He placed a hand on himself, "Ardyn Izunia." 

 

"God dammit! I knew it! He's the chancellor!" You knew you heard his name from somewhere!

 

"No way..." Prompto was in disbelief. 

 

"At your service and more importantly, to your aid." Ardyn grinned with evil dripping off of his words. "I guarantee you safe passage. Though you're always welcome to take your chances down there. Buried among the rubble is it?"

 

"Dying here is not an option. We have no choice, Noct." Ignis tried to quickly discuss. 

 

"I know." Noctis didn't like the decision but he knew it was for the best. He had to stay alive.

 

"I'll take my chances, thank you." You pointed towards the lava of death and Gladio grabbed your arm making sure you weren't going anywhere. 

 

"Oh, no you're not. Get on, Stub." He almost threw you onto the airship. 

 

 

* * *

 

  **2 DAYS LATER**

 

 

"I need to change my wardrobe. I'm afraid my clothes are becoming stiff." You cringed as your shirt was hardening from sweat.

 

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind changing either, but all of our clothes were in the car." Prompto frowned.

 

"If we make it to Lestallum or a close town, we can always buy some new clothes." Noctis suggested, trying to come up with a solution. 

 

"We'd have to ride chocobos there." You sighed out, not looking forward to the long trip. 

 

"Not a problem to me." Prompto grinned.

 

"Of course not to you. You were always the one to ride things rather than be ridden on." Ignis snarked out making you cough with shock. It was a baaaaad joke but it was a well needed laugh. 

 

"Hey!" Prompto's face lit up bright red. 

 

"Funny how you would know Ignis." Noctis stepped in, standing up for Prompto.

 

"Hey," you placed a hand on Noct's shoulder, "It's not Ignis' fault he has kinks. We're all kinky in our own way." 

 

"Okay, stop," Noctis covered his ears. "Last thing I wanna hear about is what Ignis gets a pleasure out of."

 

"Yeah, you can stop, (Y/n)." Prompto had his face buried in his hand. 

 

"If everyone has kinks, what are yours?" Gladio pushed on.

 

You rolled your eyes playfully. "Oh, I'm too exotic for you, big guy. It involves a costume fish head and a fishing pole."

 

Gladio's eyes widened, as he took you seriously. Maybe it was the tone in which you said it but he believed you and it was hysterical. "What the hell?"

 

"Her kinks are far less.....strange." Ignis said casually. 

 

"Well what are they?" Gladio just wanted material to tease you with and you were curious to see if Ignis would actually tell the boys of your preferred fun.

 

"if you ask nicely, I'm sure she'll tell." Ignis kept his smirk hidden but not from your view. He was truly great for that. 

 

You found your eyes wondering over the chocobo farm, capturing the environment for the moment. You knew there was only going to be more funny moments like this one and you didn't want to forget it. You probably weren't either, a certain vehicle caught your eye and it was enough to make you smile. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wrote like 3 chapters but I'm only posting two. I'm so sorry for taking all his time, but I can't help but try and make money. I'll post the next few chapters in a bit, maybe tomorrow or even next week. Thanks for staying up to this point.
> 
> Anyways, feel free to comment, kudos, or even insult me. Hell I don't care. It would be funny really.


	16. Pretentious

"That's the truck that was next to the waterfall," Noctis pointed out. You saw a red truck, the same as the one at the waterfall, driving up to the chocobo farm. It was the same lady too, with her grayed hair and rustic clothing. But why was she there at the farm?

 

"It really is her." You confirmed aloud. _I remember buying that pai-_ "Ah shit! I bought a pretty painting from her and it's still in the car." 

 

Ignis checked his phone, possibly looking for a call before slipping it back into his pocket. "Unfortunate, but with hope, Cindy will help in finding the location of the Regalia." 

 

"I'm more than certain the empire has it, I mean who else would be able to get the damn thing out of the pit of hell?" You crossed your arms internally groaning at the idea of retrieving the car back from the empire. 

 

"They were also the ones to get our asses out of there." A deep grumble came from Gladio. 

 

"Still, we left our chargers, clothes and spare underwear in there." Prompto sighed, "it's like we never get a break."

 

"Keep thinking like that and things will only get worse." You gave him a little push. 

 

"Well," Noctis stretched up, finding a new form of upbeat feelings, "we can always see what the truck lady has to offer. Maybe if luck is on our side, she'll have some clothes on her."

 

"Wow," you withheld your laugh, "you're certainly a different man today."

 

"I figured being groggy all the time made me a boring guy." He gave you an almost flirtatious smile. This boy was getting too cocky. 

 

"Pfft, you're always going to be boring, don't kid yourself." You teased.

 

"Way to break down a king." He pretended to sound hurt.

 

Gladio let out a snorting laugh. "Yeah, you're no king yet. Don't get ahead of yourself."

 

"I don't mean to interrupt, but are you all still planning to buy clothes?" Ignis put you all back into the box of thought.

 

"Yeah," Noctis ruffled his own hair, "Let's get going."

 

As you walked up to the truck, the lady instantly smiled when she saw your face. She remembered you all right. She must be happy that a customer is coming back.

"Come back for more?"

 

"You know it." You grinned hoping she would have what you wanted.

 

"Well, what're coming for?"

 

"We were wondering if you sell any clothing at all." Prompto stepped forth.

 

The woman smiled. "I have all sorts. Brand new too."

 

"That's great! But where do you get all of this stuff from anyways?" You asked, searching through the piles. 

 

"Some refugees from Insomnia managed to scavenge a lot from surviving stores there. Once they got what they needed, they gave it all to me to sell, to make them a little Gil for rebuilding homes and such." 

 

"Wow," Noct's eyes widened. "What you're doing... It's amazing to hear." 

 

"Yeah," she smiled modestly, "I'm only doing what I can. Those people.....they lost their homes, their king and even their prince. It's upsetting that there's no one else there for them." 

 

Your head turned to Noct who's hands were balled up in silent frustration. Of course he's feeling guilt, he feels responsible for not being home. Everyone believed he was dead and in reality he was out and about, safe with his friends. Noctis was carrying this burden on him. "Where are the refugees now?" He asked, calmly but you could tell that he was holding back at the same time.

 

The woman's eyes looked up as she thought. "You know where the Hunter's HQ is?" She asked, and you all nodded. "It's just south of there. We all built a little camp there, ya'll are free to stop by."

 

"We would but we're having car troubles." You frowned but you knew going to see the people would be a bad idea. 

 

"I can take ya'll up there if you want, names Phoebe by the way." She offered. 

 

"You would?" Noctis asked hopefully.

 

She nodded. "Mhm." 

 

"What about the car?" Prompto asked, with good reason. 

 

"Cindy said she'd call if she found it, so there's no point in us just sitting here." Noctis pointed out and Prompto only shrugged. 

 

You pulled him away from the lady's listening ears, urging him to think about his actions. "If you go to where your citizens are, then they have a chance at recognizing you. You'd blow your cover and the Empire would be on your ass in a matter of minutes." You knew why he wanted to go but you needed him to know that he could damage all that was built up. "You could put those people in danger." 

Noctis opened his mouth to say something but found that fighting back with you would be pointless. You saw his face turn into disappointment, it was a look that twisted you within. 

 

"Noct," Ignis called over, "It seems we won't be able to make that trip as of now anyways."

 

"The empire is blocking every single road leading into the districts." Prompto glowered knowing his friend would be upset. 

 

"Are you serious?" You were annoyed that the empire was trying to enforce control over the area like this. You were sick of them always trying to gain control.

 

"Yeah, Phoebe just got a text from a friend warning her about the road blocks." Gladio walked up.

 

"So what does that mean for us?" Noctis asked. 

 

"It means we'll stick to the original plan. We'll obtain some new clothes for hygienic purposes then we'll resume the search for the car." Ignis filled in. 

 

"It's laying low for now, I guess." Prompto sighed. Being on the run was pretty bothersome but you got yourself into this mess so you couldn't complain. 

 

"I guess I'm going to go search for some new clothes then." You needed to get your mind off of the world that felt like it was falling apart. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

You had just taken a shower and were dressed up in the clothes you had bought from Phoebe. It was nice to not have dirty clothes on and greasy hair on top your head. It was also comforting to know that your clothes were being washed in the washing machines that Wiz had specifically for him and his workers, but he didn't mind you all using it. He was still extremely grateful for you all taking out Deadeye.

 

You were out grooming one of the friendly birds that ran freely around the farm. Her name was Persephone, and she was as golden as any heavenly chocobo would be. She almost purred, when you would pet the feather on top of her head and nuzzle further into your palm. _Must be her sweet spot._ You giggled internally. Chocobos were a gift from the heavens. 

 

"Hey," you heard a familiar voice call out. It was Noctis, and he was dressed and cleaned up for the night, smelling much better than he did before.

 

"What's up?" You asked as you pet the beak of Persephone.

 

"Just wanted to see what you were up to. The others are playing cards right now." He looked at the chocobo. 

 

"Ah." You showed little interest but not on purpose. You felt numb for some reason, a feeling that you've been feeling a lot of lately. Maybe it was a defense mechanism so that you wouldn't be able to get hurt. 

 

"You going to be alright?" He asked, his voice showing worry.

 

You nodded. It was a wonder how Noct was able to get past his own feelings and distresses just to worry about you. It was miraculous really, not many did that for you, but that didn't mean it was a good thing either. "I just can't help but think everything will get worse from here on out." 

 

"I know the feeling." Noctis' eyes glided back over to you. "You wanna go night hunting?" 

 

"Night hunting?" You quizzed. 

 

"Yeah," he held up a wanted poster, "Wiz said there were a few bad daemons that were pretty close to snatching up a chocobo yesterday. He wants to know if we'd take care of the big one that's causing the most problems." 

 

"Are the others coming?" You raised your brows, not knowing if you'd be up to the task.

 

"I didn't really ask them, I was just wondering if you'd like to join me." It was an odd request but you stopped questioning it in your head. 

 

"Why not, what's the reward?" You took the flyer in your hands. "20,000 Gil? Damn, what kind of daemon would cause this much destruction?" Your eyes searched for further information, like what type of daemon it was that you would be hunting. "An iron giant?! You do know how insanely strong those guys are, right?" 

 

"Thought you'd be able to handle it." He smirked, knowing it would tempt you further into going out.

 

You rolled your eyes. "Fine, but you better make sure the others know we're going out for the hunt."

 

"They'll be fine. Lets just get our things together and get moving before daylight hits." He went off back to the trailer to change his clothes back into the freshly cleaned clad black clothing he originally owned. 

You on the other hand, were content with the clothes you had. They didn't have any special properties, other than being comfortable, so there wasn't any point in changing back into your old set. 

 

It it was just you and Noctis, wandering out into the dark woods, only having the illumination of your lights to lead the way. Sounds of regular animals could be heard and they sounded more comforting than the rupture of daemons crawling about in the night. You'd offer to fight them all but you needed all your strength to fight the one and only iron giant. You've done studies of these types of daemons, even going as far as getting Nyx to sneak files of daemons home so you'd be able to get a good look of them. From what you found, very few had made it out of a brawl with the iron giants and that's what worried you. 

 

You and Noctis were out and about, keeping quiet as you neared the spotting area. You could hear the dragging of a sword being shuffled through the leaves, the smell of smoke arising to your nostrils. A sword of flames, that's their weapon of choice and it was confirmed once you caught the giant in you line of sight. "So, how do you wanna play this out?" You asked Noctis who's eyes were focused elsewhere. 

 

"I don't know but-" 

 

Noctis was interrupted by the sound of an explosion that glared light throughout the woods followed by a daemonic screech abruptly escaping it. The sound of kids yelling out as they ran away pierced your ears and brought worry to your already alarmed heart.  "Noctis, there's-" 

 

"I know!" He spoke out as he ran to where the giant was heading as it dashed off. You followed closely as you desperately tried catching up to the daemon. If there really were kids, why were they out there at night? You shut the thoughts away as you chased on, keeping your attention on the safety of the kids.

 

When you and Noctis caught up to the beast, you both witnessed as the kids were cornered, four of them, having the one hold up a cheaply made sword in defense as he protected his friends. Just as the giant was about to strike, Noctis warped over, shielding the kids with his blade, pushing back the daemon's main weapon. Soon you too had joined, giving a quick swipe to the daemons side, causing it to flinch. He swung back at you, this time making contact with your abdomen and it burned like hell.

It felt as if you laid your side down into a fire pit and sat there for minutes, creating many degrees of burns and peeling skin that began to blister. You yelled out in pain but that didn't stop you from striking forth again, this time hitting him right in the face. It screamed out from your payback, glaring at you with its glowing eyes. 

A gunshot was heard, made by a familiar revolver. It wasn't long before a behemoth with a large sword swooped it, giving the giant a heavy strike. The giant swindled over its now aching head and aching limbs as Prompto and Gladio continued their assault.

Soon, daggers joined in the fight too, with the owner gracefully handling them. You guys were a group once again. It wasn't long before the giant fell, causing you to flash a victory grin smeared with slight pain. Your attention was turned back to the shaken children at hand when your thoughts gathered themselves and you were completely conscious of everyone's state. 

 

"That was an ass-kicker." You pointed out as you tried to out a little distance from your burn and your shirt. You cursed to yourself when you realized the fabric was singed, and it was a nice shirt! 

 

The kids were silent as they awaited for their judgement from the five of you. They had a look of shame plastered on their face, and it shook you within. The poor kids just wanted to get rid of the daemons, but it was a good thing you and Noct showed when you did.they were desperate, probably having hunters either be killed by the thing or just having them avoid the hunt altogether. 

 

The one who had the sword stepped forth, having a frightened look on his features. "We're s-sorry for-"

 

"You guys did a hell of a lot of damage to this guy before we got to him, huh?" Gladio spoke out as he turned back to the daemon's metal carkus. 

 

"Yeah, you made it a lot easier to shoot him, seeing he was distracted." Prompto dusted off his gun.

 

"I would suggest that next time you leave it to the experienced hunters to take down a rather large daemon. Your bravery is noted, though." Ignis sent them a charming smile. 

The kids all sighed in unison and even seemed happy that they weren't yelled at. It was enough to warm your heart, seeing that the boys understood how the kids felt. The situation called for you all to take the kids home, making sure they made it home safely. Scared would be an understatement when describing the meeting with their parents as they almost automatically freaked out as their child returned home late. At least they were now safe.

 

"What gave you two the great idea to venture out alone, like you both did?" Gladio scolded as the quest back to the trailer commenced. 

 

"It was Noctis' idea." You truthfully told. 

 

"You still went along with it." Ignis added in, seeming even less amused than Gladio.

 

"Last time I checked I don't have living parents anymore, so if you both could, knock the parenting gig off. It was dumb, I know but treating me like a child will piss me off even more." You snapped back.

 

"Then stop acting like child! you could've been seriously hurt!" Gladio yelled. 

 

"Hey, Gladio," you whispered, "I'M RIGHT HERE THERE'S NO NEED TO YELL, YOU ASS AND A  HALF!"

 

"You're pushing it!" He growled.

 

You grabbed onto his shirt pulling him down to meet your gaze. " _ **You're**_ pushing it!"

 

"Enough!" Ignis separated you both. "You both are acting like children. If you don't stop it then I will take matters into my own hands." Ignis' voice held poison as he spoke, indicating he wasn't joking around. You knew better than anyone that his threats weren't meant to be taken lightly. 

"Now, (Y/n)," Ignis turned his attention over you, "you were injured." He had noted. 

 

"A bit, but nothing too brash." You explained. Ignis knelt down before you earning him a strange stare from you. Pulling your shirt up to reveal your burn wound. "Hey!" You pulled your shirt back down, hissing as the fabric rubbed over it. 

 

"As I suspected." He mumbled to himself as he stood up. 

 

"What?" Your hands were still on the hem of your shirt. 

 

"You're defense is weak. You get harmed too easily because you weren't properly trained to block." That was a weird observation, but he was right. That was your main issue in battle. You always went on head first without putting thought into blocking. You'd think that your dad would've taught you better, but it seemed he didn't get a chance. 

 

"So what do you propose we do about it?" Your brow was raised. 

 

"Tomorrow, 6:00 am sharp, you're training with me." Gladio placed a hand on your shoulder, giving you a suggestive smirk. 

 

 _Good gods..._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm lost...I played through episode Ignis and I find myself so gone and lost in the alternate ending. It's hurting me because I don't know if I should stick with the cannon ending or not. I need guidance. I mean I could stick to my original ending that went along with the cannon and then make an alternate ending for the story. I just...this game pisses me off while making me love it at the same time. I just need a huge break from this series, I have chapters written, but the haven't been looked over so I'll get them posted when I can. 
> 
> By the way, if you find any errors in the story, just comment "Dammit Kyle" in the comments so my editor knows the wrong he did. I've went over these chapters a few times each and I fixed what I could but he's the judge of all of this after all.  
> And for those who catch the kid reference, I solute you...I also solute the others who didn't get it as well XD


	17. (Bone) Break Time

 

You were awaken at the ass crack of dawn by a certain strategist, whom took delight in waking you out of your own comfy slumber.

"Twenty more minutes?" You requested, your voice croaking from the little hydration the night provided you.

 

"If you sleep in twenty extra minutes, then you must train two extra hours." Ignis negotiated, of course he was going to add bullshit, but you were procrastinating and wanting to be lazy.

 

"Ugh, fine!" You flipped your blanket off and sat up, rubbing your eyes till they adjusted to being open. Little did you think that Specs would make food for you this early in the morning. "You made me food?" you asked as he set the plate of food in your lap. 

 

"It's your first day of training. Can't have you passing out in the middle of it all due to lack of nutrition." Even if Ignis didn't display it often or if he was just a plain asshole most of the time, you knew how sweet he could be, and this moment was reminiscent of the old days, back when you'd wake up to him making you breakfast in bed. _I left the only guy I could also classify as my wife..._

"Thanks, Iggy." You took the first big bite of food, rolling your eyes with delight as the flavor had awoken you fully.

 

"Fair warning, Gladio had been awake for a while, readying himself for the training exercises he has planned for you today." Ignis sat down at the now set table.

 

"Why is that a warning?" Your eyes widened, "Wait, he isn't actually going to fight me, is he?" You felt your appetite get lost in the void of fear.

 

"He's isn't going to fight you, he's going to train you." Ignis said with great sarcasm. And there goes your sweet moment...

 

You sighed. "God dammit, I don't wanna die right now, I just re-found my purpose to live."

 

"You need to learn to defend yourself. The best option is to be attacked. Learn to evade the attacks." Ignis advised. 

 

You looked down at your lap, biting your lip in the process. _I might be coming sooner than expected Nyx..._

 

 

* * *

 

 

"This circle marks your boundaries. Do not go outside of them, and do not try and fall out of them. " Gladio marked out, pointing to the circle drawn around you both. "You're going to learn to dodge an attack. That means no weapons, and no blocking. You have to learn to get out of the way when danger comes." 

 

"So, run away?" You tried simplifying it.

 

"No," he shook his head, "running away means you've given up and have stopped paying attention to your enemy's movements. You've got to dodge the attack. Observe their movement and step out of the way when harm passes by."

 

 _He reminds me of my dad..._  "Alright, so observing is the whole technique I'm going for. Just keeping my eyes on my enemy so I can avoid all their moves." 

 

Gladio smiled. "Right. You're getting it, mentally at least."

 

"And, after that, it'll be looking for weaknesses right?" You felt like a child in school again.

 

"Yes. You're a fast verbal learner, but are you physically ready, is the question. I'll go easy on you by only attacking with my fists. After that, I'll move onto weapons and such. Think you can handle that?" He asked, placing a hand on his hip.

 

You shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice, now do I?"

 

He chuckled. "You're a lot faster than Noct, I'll say that much." 

 

You kept your eyes focused on him as he took stance, fists up in the air. You were two feet in front of him, a length his long arms could certainly reach.  _Is he actually going to hit me?_ You gulped back your fear, trying to keep your heart at a normal pace. You really didn't want to be punched in the face. 

He threw his first punch, throwing his right arm at you. You dodged right but you soon learned it was a bad decision as his left arm hooked back and got you right in the gut. The air was knocked right out of you and you fell to the ground. He threw a real punch and it hit you right in the burned area.

 

"Your first lesson from this," He knelt down beside you, "When your enemy strikes with their right, you dodge left. When they strike with their left, you dodge right. If you go otherwise, they can easily attack you with a counter. Try again." He pulled you up to your feet, forcing you to suck the pain back in.

 

You observed his stance again, trying to see which arm he was going to put forth. You were still distracted by the fact that he easily threw a strike at you, a girl.  _He's more like Dad than I thought....kind of disturbing considering all the little notions we've been sending._

 You took in a deep breath preparing for another blow. He threw another punch, this time it was his left arm, so you went right, perfectly dodging his attack. You didn't celebrate though, you watched as he went back to throw another punch, and another, and then another. Each one was evaded, as if you were getting it. 

 

"A hell of a lot faster than Noct." Gladio pointed out, going back to his old statement. It wasn't as if you weren't already trained as it was. He wasn't giving you lessons from scratch, and growing up with your dad, you had no choice but to learn quickly. 

It was probably a couple hours that went by and yours and Gladio's showdown attracted the others, as they sat back and watched you fly away from Gladio's mighty fists. You were past the point of thirsty though, you felt faint from your lack of water that was needed to perspire your throat. Gladio thankfully took note of this and called for a break, waving Ignis over with a couple water bottles. 

Sweat dripped off of your forehead as your body overheated. You were going to be sore tomorrow.

 

"You're doing well," Gladio handed you a bottle to which you chugged hastily. "I'm guessing your dad taught you everything you learned so far." 

 

You nodded as you swallowed the rest of the water. "He pushed me a lot when I was younger,  so much so I almost ran away a few times, but I know why he did it." You tried speaking through broken breathes. "He just wanted to make sure that after he was gone that I'd be able to take care of myself."

 

"Your father wasn't just some ordinary soldier, was he?" Gladio asked causing you to turn to face him. "Him being close to the king and all."

 

You shrugged. "He was as well trained as the others. My dad used to run errands, in sense, for the king. But they weren't regular ones, they were escort missions, undercover heists, etc. They stopped after the war started to take a more dire turn. My dad had me to look after, so he retired early. I wouldn't say he was a special soldier, he was just ordered to do different things."

 

"His name was Septimus Pater, right?" He took a sip of his own water.

 

You nodded. "Well," You thought more, "Septimus de Pater, but he thought the 'de' part was dumb so he stuck with the simple name. But, yeah, did you know him?"

 

He shook his head. "No, but my dad did and we even attended his funeral to pay our respects. I didn't remember seeing you there."

 

"Probably because I hid myself away. I didn't want to be seen, not at my weakest moment." You frowned as the pain pierced through you again. 

 

"So you talk so much about your dad," Gladio wanted to change the topic, "but what about your mom?" 

 

You bit at your lip thinking back yourself. It was so many years ago when you lost her. "I remember her being nice, always talked with a sweet soothing voice. She had beautiful eyes, and her smile always made me feel better. But I do remember not being able to see her as much. I was being pushed back and forth between my dad and mom, going from the Empire to Lucis in a matter of days. Joint custody, I guess." 

 

"Why was a Lucian with someone of the empire?" It was a reasonable question and you were okay with answering it.

 

"My dad was on one of those escort missions, and he met my mom, and quickly fell for her. She loved him too from what I remember, but they weren't allowed to be together due to their occupations. When I was born, they made an agreement to secretly send me to Lucis to visit him whenever I could, so that my father wasn't missing out on any part of my life. He used to take me to Galdin a lot, so I could play with the sand and pretty waters. He wanted to show me the most beautiful parts of Lucis, he wanted to show me all the places the war hadn't touched." 

 

"How did she die?" He asked, staring down at the water droplets that fell to the ground from the water bottle.

 

You felt yourself swallow down the pain, feeling that day play over in your head.

"My home was attacked by the Empire, they were trying to take total control of the land, and in the process, my mother died. Possibly butchered by the MTs. We found out from a family friend, who warned me to never go back. She said it wasn't worth the risk. My dad was so broken, and I was too, but my dad had lost the love of his life. He was still in love with her, and he was stuck with the reminder of her, he was stuck with me."

You felt your eyes beginning to burn. You closed them so that the tears wouldn't escape. "I never got to know her like my dad did, and I never got the chance to share a bond with her like I did my dad. That's the most painful part." 

 

 Gladio was silent for a bit, letting himself absorb your story. He was probably putting the pieces together, why you were the way you were. "When Iris was little, just a little after she was born, we ended up losing our mother. I was only 8 when she died, my dad said she was sick too.  I might've been young, but I was old enough to know that without her, I wouldn't be who I am today. I wanted her to be with us, and I wanted Iris to get to know her as well. It ain't been easy, living without her, but we've managed to get through it." 

 

"It makes you stronger but weaker at the same time." It was nice that he could understand your pain. 

 

"Exactly." He gave a sad smile as he stared into the dirt, probably thinking back to his mother. Even if Gladio was a hardass on everyone, he truly did know pain. It was a fact you felt you'd miss a lot but with these talks, it gave you a better sense of judgement, a grasp to see where Gladio was coming from when he spoke. You liked to look at all sides of the story, you enjoyed having that extra knowledge. 

 

After a few more moments, your wish to brighten up the subject grew. "You know, you remind me of him, my dad, in a weird way. He was such a hard-ass and pushed me beyond my limits. He just wanted me to make sure I was ready for the world. I'm guessing you do too." You got back onto your feet, bouncing with each step as you got your blood flowing back through you. "Ready to get back to training?" 

 

He gave you a smile as he pushed himself up from the ground.

 

As the day went on further, the training became easier to you. You were able to dodge the attacks and even found yourself looking for week spots on Gladio. You saw that after every punch he threw, his body went into a certain stasis as he regained his strength back. It was a small period but you noticed this was his point of most weakness. 

 

"Alright," he folded his arms, showing a smirk. "I think you're good for today. Tomorrow, if we still have time, we'll practice blocking with a weapon." 

 

"That's gonna be eventful." You smiled but cringed as your burn began to give its all. _I guess I must've missed it with my mind somewhere else..._

 

"We may have some aloe stored away in the caravan." Ignis stepped forth, kneeling down once again to lift your shirt. "It's inflamed, pun not intended. I suggest laying down for the rest of the day. You need to let the wound at least garner a new layer of skin before you let it run anymore on the shirt."

 

"Or she could just go with a crop top." Prompto offered as he came out too.

 

You snorted. "Hell no."

 

"Why not?" Noctis questioned. 

 

"Because I don't want to show off that much skin." You squinted at him.

 

"Seriously? You look fine." Noctis sighed as he rolled his eyes.

 

"I'm sure I do, but I've never openly showed that much skin around anyone....except, well, Nyx and Iggy," he glared up at you, "but I just don't feel comfortable being out in the open with a shirt that short." 

 

"You're making a big deal out of it." Noctis griped. 

 

"Excuse me? Well, why don't you just walk around with just your boxers and your hair slicked back and tell me how you feel." You began to chastise. 

 

He frowned but ultimately thought it over. You wanted to laugh in victory when you saw the corner of his mouth twitch as he imagined it. "Alright, I get it. Then why not just wear one while your in the trailer, that way you don't worsen it." 

 

"Heh, well I'm going to lay down and expose myself." You began your short journey to the trailer, "If you need me I'll be rubbing slick aloe all over me."

 

"Must you always twist your pain into vulgarity?" Ignis breathed out as he stood up.

 

You didn't turn back but instead held your hand up to express yourself for their eyes. "It wouldn't be me otherwise." 

 

"I gotta hit the shower." Gladio said as he followed. 

 

"I'll be making dinner." Ignis dusted off his pants. 

 

"Ooh! Can I help?" Prompto chimed.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Ow! Mother f-" you stopped yourself and took a deep breath as you rubbed the lube-like material over your burn. "I hate everything..." You sighed laying your head back onto the pillow.

 

"Maybe you should've taken it easier during that fight." Noctis added in. He plopped down at the edge of the bed you were on and made himself comfy. While Gladio was in the shower, Prompto and Ignis were busy making dinner, leaving Noctis to lounge about with nothing to do, except bother you that is. 

 

"Maybe you shouldn't have invited me on that damn hunt." You peered down at your burn.

 

He shrugged. "Thought we could have a night of fun." 

 

You almost laughed. "All you had to do is get me buttered up and I would've been yours." 

 

"Not...like that." He blushed. "I just wanted to get your mind off of everything that's been happening." 

 

"Well, that's really nice of you Noctis." You gave him a cute smile. "I just wish it was a nice dinner instead of that giant metal bastard." 

 

"I'll keep that in mind next time." He propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at your burn, cringing at himself for letting you get harmed. 

 

"I was joking, Noct." You sat up carefully, giving him a sympathetic look. "It's all getting resolved now, with this new training and such."

 

"I know...but if I would've had the others with us, you probably wouldn't have been hurt." 

 

"Could've been worse." You shrug. "Look, forget it. We're all good now." 

 

He sighed, "You're right." 

 

You gave him a slight shove on his arm before giving him a small grin. "Hey, you should go and grab that other aloe bottle out of the fridge. I'm too lazy to get up." Cold aloe would feel much better than the room temp stuff you had already. You thanked Ignis for buying two bottles.

 

"Yeah, yeah." He huffed out bouncing off the bed. "Though, aren't you the one that's supposed to do as I ask?"

 

You laughed sarcastically. "I already told you before, You won't be my King, you'll be nothing more than a friend." 

 

"A friend?" He smirked. "I'll go along with that but I don't go around kissing Prompto and Ignis at will." 

 

You bit back your laughter. "Yeah, but I'm sure the spectating girls wouldn't mind." 

 

"Like you?" He brought back the aloe. 

 

"Pfft, you wish." You took the aloe and squirted some onto your stomach sighing at the cool chill and relief it gave. Rubbing it in you look back up at the Prince who was lost in his own thoughts. "You know what, I think you do owe me for this damn burn."

 

"I do?" He leaned down.

 

"Mhm." You pulled him in closer, grinning cutely, buttering him up for your next said words. "You should so go and see if the food is done." 

Noctis pulled away and shook his head. You were sure his eyes were rolling at your asinine behavior. 

Laughter overtook you and you reached out for Noctis as he tried to get away from you. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! You're just so gullible and cute!" You managed to pull him into bed with you and grunted a bit when his clothes rubbed against your burn. 

 

"You alright?" He was more worried about your burn rather than the prank you pulled on him.

 

"Yeah." You couldn't be blamed for smiling at the prince. He was so sweet to you, it was really unfair of you to tease him so much. Your hand tangled in his soft, fluffy hair as you pulled him into a sugary sweet kiss. He accepted your motioned apology and took it upon himself to go a little further, moving his hands to rest just underneath your crop top. the prince was being daring. As innocent as he was in the subject, you knew that certain possibilities could be driven out of him if put in the right scenarios and circumstances. 

Sadly, you both returned back to reality when you heard the shower being shut off in the bathroom. The giant was finished with his deep scrubbing. A sigh left you both as you released each other, feeling moodier with each second. 

 

Stepping out of the bathroom, Gladio came out, hair soaked and shirt off with a towel draped over him. His tattoo was much more visible and it made you stare.

 

"See something you like, Stub?" He smirked.

 

"Nope, just wondering who let giant ape into the trailer." You snickered. 

 

He shook his head but laughed at your comment anyways. Gladio could be a good sport when he wanted to be, and those times were the most fun. 

"Foods ready!" Prompto yelled in. You knew your eyes lit up at the words. Another night of compassion was to be put into your mouth. 

 

"Come to momma." You almost drooled thinking over Ignis' cooking. 

 

"Hungry much?" Noctis chuckled at your goofy behavior as he handed you a plate of food.

 

"Hey, Iggy's food is almost equivalent to his love making. Something that's really hard to pass up." You spoke without thinking.

 

Noctis frowned down at the plate he held. "I really don't want to think of doing the do with Ignis while I eat."

 

"I wouldn't want to think of it at all." Gladio commented before heading outside to sit and eat. 

 

 "Did you really have to add that detail in?" Noctis asked. 

 

You took a full bite of your dish. "Of course. Why? Jealous?" You tried smirking with your cheeks full but you ended up looking like a chipmunk. 

 

"No, just as long as you aren't still sharing a fun night with him." He began to toy with the vegetables on his plate, pushing them away from his delectables. 

 

You rolled your eyes at him. "Yeah, that's not the case."

 

It was silent as you finished up your plate but strangely enough when you looked back up, you noticed that Noctis' plate was still full. He wasn't eating. "So, when I was talking to Ignis, he said that there were rumors of a tomb near by. We were thinking about checking it out later tomorrow, if you wanna go." 

 

You raised your brows. "Sounds cool enough, but I have training with Gladio."

 

"Oh, right."

 

"You okay, Noct?" You put your plate aside. 

 

"Yeah," he breathed out, "I'm just thinking. I'm kind of tired too. I might sleep soon." 

 

"Wow, it's pretty early." 

 

"Yeah, but we've got a lot going on tomorrow."  He stood up, placing the plate on the small counter near the sink. 

 

"Something's bothering you. What is it?" You moved your legs off the bed, preparing yourself to stand and place the dish in the sink.

 

"I'm tired, (Y/n)." Your concern grew as he kept his gaze away from you. "I just need a long nap." 

 

"Okay?" You felt uneasy, like his feelings, the dark feelings he was throwing out were pointed at you. It made you feel bad. As you limped over to the sink, your thoughts were playing through, analyzing the situation. It made you realize why he could still be upset. "Noct, I'm sorry." You turned back, as he searched his stuff for somethi to wear to sleep. 

 

"For what?" He answered dryly. 

 

"For sharing information that wasn't needed. I used to make those kind of jokes around Nyx. We made those jokes together, and I guess I didn't take into consideration of how you might feel with all of this."

 

"(Y/n) it's fine, I don't have any right to get angry. You just lost him, and I'm pushing you into something that shouldn't exist. I guess in your eyes I must be a rebound." He didn't sound hurt, he knew what he thought he was. He couldn't help but get jealous though, it was in his nature. 

 

"No, Noct." You grabbed him by the hand. "You're just someone who can keep the pain away for a while. Yes, you can say you're a rebound, but you seem like so much more to me..." You let out a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry again, we should just forget about this and worry about our tasks."

There was some silence between you two but all you could do was give him a reassuring smile. 

 

"Right." He returned your smile, calming you a bit. His eyes were pretty droopy, so it didn't look like he was lying. It relieved you. "I'm just gonna crash on the floor then." 

 

"I won't keep you up, will I?" You motioned to your phone. You weren't as tired as he was and you were too broken to get out of bed and join the others outside. 

 

He yawned and shook his head. He moved over next to the bed and grabbed out the blankets Ignis folded up and spread them out, giving him some comfort on the hardened ground. 

 

"Night, Noct." You sweetly said as you cuddled back into the bed.

 

"Sweet dreams, (N/n)." He leaned over the bed to lay a small kiss on your cheek before taking off his boots and jacket. He took a short trip to the bathroom, coming back in his night wear and laid himself down. He was sprawled out before you knew it and even giving out an even slow breath as he slept. That kid fell asleep way too quickly and it made you jealous. Your overactive brain and overthinking made you stay up past your limit and it was the one thing that exhausted you the most, just below your now crippling depression. 

 

You sighed out having your eyes turn to your phone and looking for material to read. It helped you think happy thoughts before you slept and made your deep sleeping amazing. When finding a good enough story you slumped down in bed, situating your blanket away from your burn. 

Soon enough you found yourself feeling sleepy, your life falling over your eyes as they drooped.  What dreams would fall upon you this time, was a relevant question indeed. 

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw a comment that made an awesome suggestion to have multiple endings, or it was implied. Whatever the case I'm going to have chapters at the end that are alternate realities. This is going to be fine.
> 
> This chapter went through a rewrite so it took forever. The next chapter is almost finished. It shouldn't be too long, I hate my long chapters. They're boring. Anyways, I write late at night so my ideas may come off as wtf half the time. Just thought I'd add that in.


	18. Tomb of the Forgotten Queen

 

Dreams are what the subconscious create. Making strange and sometimes inviting worlds with images of our every day life. So why was it that you kept having visions of this tomb... 

 

 

 

_You stared out into the land of sand, watching as the particles were blown by a soft wind. Your breathing was shallow as you tried to avoid the sand particles that flew up from the spurts of wind. There was a tomb in the midst of it all, dark and faded, making it hard to see any details. Having a strange sense, you walked towards it, making your way to the door. Carved into its stone, the door held a glyph of a woman. Intricate and detailed and most importantly of all, fresh. This for was decorated not too long ago. The woman had her eyes closed, solemn as she slept, surrounded by the remains of her dead._

_Your hand reached out tracing the grooves, memorizing its beauty. Your breathing became even more harsh when coming in contact with the picture, but you pressed forth, leaning onto the door. The door opened and within, there was a long corridor. Statues of gods were lined up, the same six being repeated, torches lit and the smell of fresh oil pried into your nostrils. At the end held a tomb, a royal tomb unlike no other. The sarcophagus of a woman, one of the queens of Lucis. She laid as the goddess did, quiet and looking somewhat in peace. It was ominous to say the least._

_Beyond her tomb, there was a mural, a large painting of the goddess that had the queen's fresh_ _soul. Etro._

 

* * *

 

 

"(Y/n)," you were shaken awake. Your eyes shot open as you turned to the perpetrator. It was Noctis, worry plastered over his features. "You alright?"

 

"What?" You realized that your heart rate was up and that you were alright.

 

"You were gasping for air. What were you dreaming about?" He asked grabbing your clammy hands. 

 

You looked around, collecting your thoughts, trying to remember the details of the dream. "Give me paper and a pencil..." You asked as you were still in your daze.

 

"What?" He raised a brow. 

 

"Paper and pencil, Noct! I'll forget if I don't get it now!" You snapped a bit. 

 

His eyes widened but he understood your frustration. Running up, he went through everyone's stuff, searching for the desired pencil and paper. 

When all was found, he hurried to get it to you as you drew it all out. It felt like it wasn't your hand that guided the pencil. Instead it felt like something else was overtaking, but only enough to use your hand.  

 

On the paper you drew out the door of the temple the best you could, making sure to capture the sleeping goddess. 

 

"What is that?" Noctis questioned as he looked over your shoulder. 

 

"It's a door," you placed the pencil down, "the door to one of your ancestors royal tomb." 

 

"What? How would you even kno-" 

 

"I saw it in my dream. Inside there were statues dedicated to the gods and deeper inside was the resting place of one of the past kings, well queen. She was holding...some strange blade, I have no clue what it is though." Your focus on identifying the blade made Noctis crinkle his brows.

 

"That's weird..." He looked away for a moment. "You don't think it has anything to do with that rumor I was talking about last night, do you?" 

 

"It might, but I didn't see where it was, all I saw was sand. There's not much sand around here unless it's in Niffleheim, but even now that place is a barren ice land. So, I highly doubt it could be about that rumor." You motioned to the area. 

 

"That's true." Noctis agreed. "But it's just strange that you dreamt about it after I mentioned it last night."

 

"You were having prophetic dreams before, this may be a possible one too." Ignis popped in. 

 

Your head whipped in his direction. "Where the hell did you come from? And were you listening the entire time?" He was sitting at the table with an ebony in hand and a news article in the other. 

 

"I was standing here the entire time, I was in the middle of reading the paper." He gave a short smile before setting down his can. "Sand is a vastly shown symbol for dreams. Maybe the sand you encountered was conjured from your unconscious but the tomb you saw was more than likely a real location." 

 

"Damn," you frowned, "How the hell did I not piece that together?"

 

"Seeing as you didn't follow up on your education after basic schooling, that doesn't surprise me." Ignis smirked. 

 

You glared not wanting to go further into that subject. "You are right though, sand has been very prevalent in my dreams." 

 

"Mine too." Noctis admitted. You knew he must've been referring to the dream you both shared not so long ago.

 

"So, it was a temple, you say?" Ignis went back to your subconscious adventure. 

 

"Yup. Gods everywhere too." You waved your hand about, stretching up in the air to release your body from the stiffness of sleep.

 

"Hm..." Ignis thought about what it could mean. He was one to believe in such superstition but considering recent events, he couldn't but consider all the options. 

 

"Did you guys find anything out about the rumors going around?" Noctis asked. 

 

"The employee that served us said that there were a few hunters that came across  a doorway placed into a large hillside, but one that could not be opened. It was unlike all the other doors of the royal tombs, but they believe it is one of them." 

 

"What makes it so different?" He tilted his head.

 

"The door depicts a woman, closed eyes, and skulls on either side of her." Ignis didn't understand who he himself was talking about but he felt that whoever was depicted held great weight. It was obvious in the way he described it. He too was extremely interested. 

 

Your eyes widened as your mind went back to the door. "It couldn't be..." 

 

 

"What?" Noctis became worried. 

 

"Etro." You moved out of bed, searching for clean clothes to wear. "She's always depicted with closed eyes and the two skulls could be her symbol for her association with death. See?" You pointed out to your poorly drawn door. You noticed the roughness of it and put it down before either one of them could catch a good glimpse of it. "Eh....nevermind..." 

 

"Very analytical, of course you do seem more familiar with this goddess than the rest of us." Ignis was trying his best not to ask questions.

 

"I know who she is because I studied the gods in great detail. If you would've went back a little further, you would've found that there was a goddess who catered to her dead. She disappeared from history a long time ago, and no one really knew why. She's a legend now, folk lore, but I assure you she was as real as Titan himself." You realized how tight your fists were balled and released them, taking a deep breath. 

 

"Well, if you're up to it, we should all go and check it out." Noctis suggested. 

 

"It's not the worst idea." Ignis complied. 

 

"Whatever gets me out of training with Gladio for today." You huffed, relaxing your tensed muscles. 

 

"Then it's settled," Noctis stood with a stretch, "We'll get moving in about an hour or so? I'll go and ask where the server said it was exactly." 

 

"He's a lot more active today." You raised a brow. "Did you spike his food?" 

 

"As much as that possibility is more sensible, I'm certain he only received a good night's rest." He set down his drink, straightening out the small little dining area inside the trailer. 

 

"That boy makes me wonder." You changed out of your short top, not caring if Ignis was present. You knew he would always look away from you, he was too mannered to not do so. 

 

"He also makes you worry. You're not the only one on that ship. It sailed a long time ago for me." Ignis finished washing the few dishes that were left. 

 

"You're his royal adviser." You leaned against the wall. "If you weren't worried you wouldn't be doing your job."

 

"I suppose you're correct." He washed away at his hands. 

 

"You're also his friend, which makes everything harder. You hold a lot back from him. You don't really tell him everything you hold within. Why is that?" 

 

"He doesn't need to know every small detail that vapors from my emotions. Some things just need to be left unsaid." 

 

You made a small frown. "You know that's going to hurt him in the end right?"

 

"Not if he never finds out." His eyes dart over to you, staring straight into yours. A look of pain manifested in his green abysses, making your heart race as you felt the weight of his unsaid words. "I offer a word of advice; don't reveal everything you feel to him, at least, not now. Wait until things are cooled enough for him so that he isn't overwhelmed. It's selfish of me to even say that to you, but if you have any concerns or problems, I, along with the others, are more than willing to lend you aid. You only need to say such, though. Noctis has a large task at hand and clouding his mind with other possible problematics is not highly recommended."  

 

"I know." You simply responded. "I'm already a step ahead in that. I don't plan on telling you guys everything until I've settled all my problems out. If things do become serious like last time, I won't hesitate to tell you guys."  

 

"Hey, Stub," Gladio's voice called out for you. 

 

You sighed out and walked out of the trailer to greet him. "What?"

 

He gave you a small smirk. "Due to another detour in our travels, training is canceled for today." 

 

"Thank the gods..." You relieved. 

 

  

* * *

 

 "Are we close?" Prompto asked Gladio who was reading the coordinates over. 

 

"Yup. We should be 30 feet away by now." He placed the now folded map in his pocket. "The hunters marked the site off with a bright yellow flag, so keep your eyes sharp."

 

"Oh! Oh! Found it!" Prompto explained as he ran towards the now found door.

 

 

"Looks as if the Hunters did us a favor and scraped the moss that was growing on the door." Ignis examined as he got closer.

 

"Awe, it would've made for such a cool picture." He pulled out his camera anyways. "Oh well, it's shooting time!" He snapped away. 

 

"A little eager, aren't ya?" You teased. 

 

"Hey, we haven't done anything fun in the past few days and this is a treat for any photographer." He continued to look for a great shot. 

 

"He's not wrong. This door really isn't like the ones we've seen before." Noctis was too in awe of the door. 

 

"So, is this what you seen in your dream?" Ignis asked you.

 

You nodded, mesmerized all over again by the door. The slumbering goddess was entrancing you once again. "Yeah, this door is as old as the ancients. I remember it being....cleaner when I saw it though." You bit at your cheek as your nerves stood on edge. Something felt strange about this tomb. "So, how do you think we open it? Will the key that Cor gave us work?" 

 

"It should." Noctis pulled out his key. "Just need to know where the keyhole is." 

It really wasn't a typical door of the ancients that would have a definitive keyhole. You all set out to feel for them, searching the entire carved mural for it until your fingers came across a deep groove. It was in the socket of the right skull's eye. 

 

"Found it!" Prompto exclaimed as he found another on in the other skulls eye. 

 

"There are two?" Gladio looked bewildered. 

 

"Appears so." Ignis fixed his glasses that were shifted down the bridge of his nose. 

 

"There's a warning." Your eyes went wide as you stared at the plaque in front of you. It was almost barrier metal as if layer flat on the ground.

 " _He who uses the key in the wrong hole shall forever lose their key. Solve my riddle to enter the kingdom of the dead."_  

 

"That's...weird...." Noctis almost gulped. 

 

" _Once I held the blade of gold towards the darkness of my enemies. The blade resides away, keeping it astray from_ _wandering hands. Find the place to which thy blade resides."_ You finished reading it. 

 

"Well, (Y/n), since you're the expert on this dead goddess, why don't you try and solve this one." Prompto gave you a pat on the back. 

 

"Thanks Prompto..." You frowned but soon let it go as your attention went back to the door puzzle. "So, if we place the key in the wrong hole, it will be lost in some way...but how is the question." 

 

"Would the key be broken or simply stuck inside the mechanism?" Ignis added his own thoughts. 

 

"This is the only key I have so I can't afford to lose it or break it." Noctis gripped onto the key.

 

"So, that raises the stakes." Ignis thought further into the riddle. 

 

"Good gravy, this is kind of scary." Prompto scratched his head.

 

You raised a brow. "Good gravy?" 

 

"What? I can't say old sayings?" The blonde crossed his arms. 

 

You shook your head letting your mind reside back to the puzzle. " _Find the place to which thy blade resides...._ that must be referring to where she summons her blade." 

 

"She was able to summon her blade like us?" Prompto asked. 

 

"Well, yeah, she was a goddess. She didn't just summon it to her hand, though. She would pull it out of thin air, as if she had an invisible sheath keeping her blade safe. So, the question is actually if she was left or right handed." You could remember if you were even told her dominant hand. You would think a god or goddess would be ambidextrous.

 

"Do you remember seeing any pictures of her and her weapon?" Gladio tried helping you out. 

 

"No I-"  

 

  
 You jolted at the flashback. "Wait! She's right handed!"

 

"What? You sure?" Noctis raised his brows at you. 

 

"Yes! I have a painting of her summoning her blade in her right hand." You were certain that you had the right answer. 

Noctis shrugged and began to move he key over to the hold closest to her right hand. 

"Noct!" You grabbed his hand. 

 

"What?" He snapped a bit. 

 

"The riddle asked where she summoned her blade from, not which hand she used.  She pulled her sword from her left side. The key goes in her left skull, right to us." You pointed to the hole. Noctis stared at you skeptically for a few seconds before letting out a deep breath. He placed the key inside the hole and turned it until he heard a clink. When he tried pushing on the door, nothing had happened and your heart sank. 

"What? No-"

 

The key was pulled inside the hole making everyone jump back. "What the hell?" Noctis exclaimed with wide eyes. 

 

"What happened to the key?" Prompto asked with a shaken voice. 

 

Before anyone could come up with an answer the doors opened, and inside there was darkness. The five of you instinctively turned on your lights and slowly took small steps into the cave. 

 

"It worked..." You let out, feeling more relieved than ever.

 

"Yeah, but the key's still missing." Gladio brought up. 

 

"We'll worry about that later," Noctis almost sounded entranced, "we should worry about what's inside first." He was the one to lead inside and you all shrugged and followed. 

 

Inside there were statues, lined up against the wall, they were almost like your dreamed ones, just much older and weathered. There were even the lures that were lit in your dream, but long gone out. It was no coincidence, you were lead here by something, or rather someone. 

 

"Is this all of what you dreamt of, (Y/n)?" Ignis asked, taking a moment to admire the detail in each work. 

 

"Yeah, down to the exact placement." You smiled at the figurines. "Just beyond this should be a sarcophagus of a woman. And beyond that a huge mural, the size of the entire wall. If my dream serves right..."

 

"We'll see how accurate your dreams are." Gladio smirked, trying to bring some fun into this. 

 

"If I'm wrong, I get to sleep in your sleeping bag tonight while you're in it." You joked. 

 

"Woah, that would be more of a win than a loss." Gladio said smoothly.

 

Noctis snorted. "Sure, if you like sleeping with a monster." 

 

"Who said we'd be sleeping?" Gladio raised a brow with a sly smile still present. 

 

"You're right," Prompto budged in, "she'd be crying for you to take a bath after a night under the heat." 

 

"You sayin I smell?" Gladio almost growled. 

 

"No, he's saying that anyone being so close together will sweat, causing a bad stench to arise. You and I both know that since you're the biggest, you sweat a lot." You snorted. 

 

"We should really drop this topic. I'm starting to get a weird feeling." Noctis showed genuine fear as he looked on ahead. He was right, something felt really off. It was a similar feeling to meeting Ardyn, a dark and cold experience. 

 

You frowned as you tried dropping the feeling. You couldn't let your cool slip. You needed to fight against your emotions this time. "Let's hope this royal arm is aurally here."

 

The corridor wasn't as large as you thought it would be, which made you thankful. Before you knew it, your lights stumbled upon a new sight, one for the ages. A stone lady, laying with eternal rest. 

 

"There she is!" You called out as you ran up to the large resting area. Her sarcophagus was huge! Probably half the size of Gladio in height. "It's all here!"

 

 

"Looks as if we discovered a lost royal tomb." Ignis turned directly to the glyph end walls that had an old language scribbled on it. 

 

Your eyes went wide. "This is the language of the ancients." 

 

"The what?" Prompto gave you a strange stare. 

 

"Well, not everyone spoke our modern language. This is the basis of our language. This is our history, or at least the history of the Lucians." You were far more amazed by this than the others, that was certain but you didn't care. Some parts of history always had you pulled in, wanting more information, as if you were eager to solve a puzzle. 

 

"Well, can anyone actually read it?" Prompto didn't get the gravity of the find. 

 

"I studied bits and pieces when I had spare time from working with Noct." Ignis admitted. 

 

"I was raised off of this." You smiled as you looked for a good place to start. "My dad had hundreds of notes of our ancient world, and even bothered to teach me the ancient language. To some, it's a dead language, but in our family, it's a tradition to learn." 

 

"Well, how about you read us a bed time story before we head out of this little tomb?" Gladio suggested sarcastically. 

 

Despite his joking nature, you smiled anyways and took the suggestion seriously. "Great idea, but I think I'd like some pictures of the wall.  **High definition**  pictures." You gave Prompto a little smirk. 

 

"I'm on it," he pulled out his camera, being sure to turn his flash on. The flashes illuminated the room for seconds at a time, allowing you to get a better look at the dimensions of everything. 

 

"I can't wait to translate all of these writings." You smiled as you headed towards the back wall, trying to see if you could see what was on this wall. As the flashes showed more and more of what was on the wall, your dreams proved correct as it showed the goddess you were all too familiar with. "There you are." You sighed out, feeling a calming sensation. Everything was all here.

 

 

"Wait," Noctis began, confusion taking over where awe should be. "That picture..." He grabbed out his phone and turned on the light, instead of pulling off his regular light. He shined it on the wall, trying to gain better viewing of it and you saw his brows twitch as they lowered themselves.

 

"What's wrong?" You asked.

 

"This mural...this is the same one as the one in the Citadel..." He confirmed.

 

Your eyes widened a bit. "The Citadel? Wait, you guys had a painting of Etro inside the royal palace?"

 

"You never saw it? It was at the top, hidden behind a tank of our biggest fish. It was where we had all of our parties." Noctis calmed himself a bit.

 

"That's right, I remember that painting, but there wasn't a name to it, or even an artist." Ignis came forth, recalling the memory.

 

"That's weird." You admitted, feeling a strange formation in your stomach, as if it was flipping around inside. It was almost painful.

 

"Well, we should grab that weapon and get on out of here before it gets too dark outside. I want to be able to go back and be able to enjoy the light while it's outside." Gladio pushed on. It wasn't even close to nightfall but you could tell he was feeling the same thing you were when you first entered the cave. 

 

"Right," Noctis nodded, turning back to his ancestor's resting place. 

 

"Hey," Prompto tilted his head. "Shouldn't there be a royal arm in her hands?"

 

"Hm? Yeah, I just noticed that too." Noctis searched around.

 

Your eye twitched a bit. "Check inside." 

 

"Awe man..." Prompto nose wrinkled. "We have to defile a corpse for a weapon?"

 

"Its more disturbing when you put it like that." You looked back at him.

 

"Well, I lost my key so I'll do whatever it takes to get whatever my ancestor is holding." Noctis began pushing at the lid, hastily trying to get the flow going again.

 

 Soon Gladio lent a hand in and carefully slid the lid open. It was just enough to reach inside but the chamber itself was deep. Noctis gulped as he reached down into the sarcophagus, trying hard to keep himself from freaking out. His face twisted a bit as he felt around, whispering a small "sorry" as he did so. His eyes widened a bit when he grabbed onto something and you tilted your head ad he began retracting his arm. 

 

Out came a blade and one that held a beauty beyond belief.


End file.
